PANAMA CITY, Panama -- With feet now firmly planted on the ground in Panama, the Honduran national team is thinking of only two things in advance of facing the host on Friday: obtain points at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez and take a step closer to advancing to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

Honduras certainly faces a formidable challenge in the Canaleros, a team that has become one of the more respected sides in the region under the guidance of their former international Julio Dely Valdes.

Nevertheless, Honduras head coach Luis Suarez maintains that playing in Panama won't be anything out ordinary for his team, which finds itself two points behind the Panamanians in the Group C standings of third round qualifying.

"If we're afraid of a game like this, it would be better to not even show up," the Colombian told the Honduran Football Federation's website.  "This field is one of the easiest to play on.  The stands are one hundred meters from the field, there's an athletic track, and the players are well protected.  I can't see why there would be pressure, and if there were, we would just have to manage it."

The pressure may also be somewhat reduced because of the familiarity between the two rivals.  Honduras and Panama have met frequently in recent years with remarkably even results.

Of the last seven encounters between them, Panama possesses a narrow 4-3 advantage in victories.  During that run, however, neither team has managed to post wins in consecutive matches.

Panama surprised the 2010 World Cup participant in San Pedro Sula with a 2-0 away win to commence the current round.  If Honduras can return the favor by winning in Panama, it would continue the streak of alternating wins and position the Hondurans closer to a place in the hexagonal.

"This game is life or death for us, and we're going to take it on with that mentality," said defender Osman Chavez.  "We know there's no turning back, and there's no tomorrow after these two games."

A loss by Honduras on Friday night means that the Catrachos would likely need to win a complicated match on Tuesday with visiting Canada in San Pedro Sula to conclude the round, possibly by multiple goals.

The Canaleros will progress to the hexagonal by securing three points against its Central American rival, making its last match against already eliminated Cuba a less formal affair.