Kendall Waston (jumping, red jersey) scores the equalizer for Costa Rica in its World Cup qualifier at host Honduras on March 284, 2017, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – Kendall Waston scored in the second half to give visiting Costa Rica (2W-1D-1L, 7 points) a 1-1 draw with Honduras (1-1-2, 4) in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday at the hot Estadio Francisco Morazan.
With the result, the Costa Ricans provisionally moved to the top of the six-team table on goal difference over Mexico (2-1-0, 7), which plays Trinidad & Tobago later. Honduras also moved from last to fourth, but will be overtaken with a United States (1-0-2, 3) win over draw against host Panama in the last game of the night.
Antony Lozano gave the Hondurans a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute. As teammate Alberth Elis attempted to gain control in the box, the ball fell to Lozano, who tried to jab a shot past Keylor Navas with his right foot from close range. The Real Madrid custodian made the block, but the rebound deflected off the Tenerife forward and over the line.
It appeared that Honduras was in position to bounce back from a 6-0 loss to the U.S. last Friday, but Waston had other ideas. Christian Bolaños -- the defender’s Vancouver Whitecaps FC colleague -- delivered a left-sided corner kick in the 68th minute that Waston headed in from six-yards.
Waston also cleared an Elis effort off the line in the 12th minute.
The encounter was a rematch of a Copa Centroamericana meeting between the sides in January, which also ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Next Up in WCQ…
Costa Rica: June 8, 2017 -- home v Panama
Honduras: June 8, 2017 – away v Mexico
