Brayan Beckeles (#7) has appeared in seven games during Honduras' qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. (Photo: CA-Images)
FORT MYERS, Florida – Honduras is not deceived by the United States’ slow start to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
While the current Central American champion has three points through two games, the Americans sit last in the six-team table with no points.
Defender Brayan Beckeles, 31, believes the U.S. will have different look under new head coach Bruce Arena when the sides will meet on Friday night at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, California.
“They will be different. They haven’t gotten points in the two matches, so Honduras has to go in good and prepared,” said Beckeles from Honduras’ training camp in Fort Myers, Florida. “The dangerous thing for us is getting overconfident or stop working, which we are not going to do. We are always ready for anything.”
Since the 1990 World Cup cycle, Honduras is just one of two teams to register a qualifying win over the U.S. on American soil, a 3-2 victory in Washington, D.C., on September 1, 2001.
Even if a more pragmatic approach is required, Beckeles is hopeful of repeating history.
“Whichever way we play, a positive result can be taken, which is what we want,” the Necaxa standout concluded. “It doesn’t matter how you play if the results do not come through. I think more about the result and that Honduras takes away a victory; that is what I most want. It doesn’t matter how.”
