Honduras' Luis Enrique Palma (white jersey) and Felipe Flores battle for the ball during their Central American under-17 qualifier on November 26, 2016, in Pavas, San Jose, Costa Rica. (Photo: Imagenes en Costa Rica)
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Honduras (2W-0D-2L, 6 points, 0GD) and El Salvador (2-0-2, 6, -2) clinched berths in the 2017 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship, while Nicaragua (2-0-2, 6, -6) barely missed out as Central American qualifying concluded Saturday with a doubleheader at Estadio Ernesto Rohrmoser.
In the opener, El Salvador got the win it required -- but left it late -- topping Nicaragua, 2-0. With the Nicaraguans needing only a draw to progress, Ronald Cerritos assisted on substitute Allexon Saravia’s 74th-minute goal that gave the Cuscatlecos a 1-0 lead. In the second minute of stoppage time, Cerritos’ insurance tally -- his second goal of the competition – put the match out of reach.
Despite the result, Nicaragua remained in contention, knowing that if first-place Costa Rica defeated Honduras by nine or more goals, it would advance.
Honduras lost, but an uncompromising 3-0 scoreline dashed the Pinoleros’ hopes.
The Costa Ricans (4-0-0, 12) completed the tournament with a perfect record and didn’t concede a goal. Mario Mora struck twice to give the host a 2-0 lead, heading home in the seventh minute and beating goalkeeper Carlos Banegas six minutes after the break. The goals brought Mora’s total for the competition to five, equaling him with teammate Andres Gomez atop the scoring chart.
An 83rd-minute strike by Walter Cortez ended the match.
The next CONCACAF Under-17 Championship is slated to be contested in Panama from April 21-May 7, 2017. In addition to the host, the 12-team field consists of Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Suriname and the United States.
2016 CENTRAL AMERICAN UNDER-17 QUALIFYING
Estadio Ernesto Rohrmoser -- San Jose, Costa Rica
November 17-26, 2016
Costa Rica 4-4-0-0-16-0-12
Honduras 4-2-0-2-7-7-6
El Salvador 4-2-0-2-4-6-6
Nicaragua 4-2-0-2-5-11-6
Belize 4-0-0-4-3-11-0
November 17, 2016
El Salvador 0, Honduras 2
Carlos Mejia 52’ pen; Jose Canaca 90’+4
Costa Rica 4, Belize 0
Christian Muñoz 7’; Jeurgen Sequeira 46’; Mario Mora 49’, 89’
November 19, 2016
Honduras 3, Belize 1
David Cardona 9’; Patrick Palacios 58’; Kenneth Martinez 72’ / Gabriel Ramos 16’ pen
Costa Rica 6, Nicaragua 0
Andres Gomez 13’, 60’, 73’, 78’; Christian Muñoz 32’; Mario Mora 52’
November 21, 2016
Belize 1, El Salvador 2
Jesse August 41’ / Ronald Cerritos 4’; Christian Barillas 43’ pen
Nicaragua 3, Honduras 2
Engel Balladares 68’; Stward Castillo 77’ pen; Sergio Rodriguez 84’ / Luis Enrique Palma 39’; Patrick Palacios 90’+1
November 23, 2016
Belize 1, Nicaragua 2
Jesse August 39’ / Sergio Rodriguez 52’, 71’
Costa Rica 3, El Salvador 0
Christian Muñoz 15’ pen; Andres Gomez 29’; Jeurgen Sequeira 70’
November 26, 2016
El Salvador 2, Nicaragua 0
Allexon Saravia 74’; Ronald Cerritos 90’+2
Costa Rica 3, Honduras 0
Mario Mora 7’, 51’; Walter Cortez 83’
