Action from the last meeting between Honduras (white jersey) and Panama, when they squared off in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on July 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo: Mexsport)
2018 FIFA WORLD CUP
CONCACAF Qualifying -- Final Round, Matchday 1
Date: November 11, 2016
Match: Honduras v Panama
Venue: Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano – San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Time: 2:35 p.m. (local)
MATCH OFFICIALS
R: Yadiel Martínez CUB
A1 Leonardo Sánchez, CUB
A2 Jairo Morales PUR
4th: Javier Santos PUR
SUSPENSIONS
none
ALL-TIME WCQ SERIES
Honduras leads: 5W-2D-3L (16GF, 8GA)
LAST WCQ MEETING
September 10, 2013: Honduras 2, Panama 2
Carlo Costly 28’; Wilson Palacios 62’ / Gabriel Torres 50’; Roberto Chen 90’+1
FIVE MATCH WCQ FORM
Honduras: DWWDL
Panama: LWWDL
CONCACAF QUALIFYING RESULTS
Honduras (Overall record: 2W-2D-2L … 6GF, 6GA)
13.11.15 Canada v Honduras 1-0
17.11.15 Honduras v Mexico 2-0
25.03.16 El Salvador v Honduras 2-2
29.03.16 Honduras v El Salvador 2-0
02.09.16 Honduras v Canada 2-1
06.09.16 Mexico v Honduras 0-0
Panama (Overall record: 3W-1D-2L … 7GF, 5 GA)
13.11.15 Jamaica v Panama 0-2
17.11.15 Panama v Costa Rica 1-2
25.03.16 Haiti v Panama 0-0
29.03.16 Panama v Haiti 1-0
02.09.16 Panama v Jamaica 2-0
06.09.16 Costa Rica v Panama 3-1
CONCACAF QUALIFYING SCORERS
Honduras: Romell Quioto (2); Alberth Elis, Oscar Garcia, Antony Lozano, Mario Martinez (1)
Panama: Luis Tejada (2); Abdiel Arroyo, Felipe Baloy, Armando Cooper, Gabriel Torres, own-goal in favor of (1)
KEY 2018 WCQ MOMENT
Honduras: After opening the fourth round with two losses and draw, Honduras was struggling to regain the form that helped it qualify for two straight World Cups. On matchday four against visiting El Salvador, however, the Catrachos’ fortunes changed in a 2-0 win. The supporters at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano sweated out a scoreless first half, before Oscar Garcia put the home side ahead in the 53rd minute with a brilliant volley from outside the box after controlling the ball with his chest. In the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time, Romell Quioto netted the goal to seal Honduras’ first win.
Panama: Panama set the tone for a solid fourth-round campaign by defeating host and 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up Jamaica, 2-0, on matchday one. Armando Cooper was the standout performer on the evening, dictating the Central Americans’ attack and netting the first goal in the 43rd minute. Seven minutes into the second half, Wes Morgan’s own-goal settled matters. The shutout was Panama’s first of four over the course of six games, conceding only in the pair of losses to Costa Rica.
FAST FACTS
Honduras
- Qualified for three FIFA World Cups, including the last two (1982, 2010, 2014).
- Has never won more than five games in three previous Hexagonal appearances.
- In the fourth round, was either shutout (3 times) or scored two goals (3 times).
Panama
- Never qualified for a FIFA World Cup.
- Last two WCQ goals were scored in second-half stoppage time (two different games … Abdiel Arroyo in 2-0 home win v Jamaica; Luis Tejada penalty kick in 3-1 away loss v Costa Rica.
- Making third Hexagonal appearance … won only once in previous 20 games.
