PANAMA CITY, Panama – Carlos Mejia scored two goals and set-up another to give Honduras (1W-0D-1L, 3 points) a 3-0 win over Curacao (1-0-1, 3) in the 2017 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship on Monday at the Estadio Maracana.
It was nearly a “must-win” situation for the Hondurans, who lost 4-2 in their opener on Friday against Panama (1-0-0, 3). The host Panamanians will face Haiti (0-0-1, 0) later in the evening.
Honduras went ahead in the 50th minute, when Mejia had a penalty kick saved by goalkeeper Kevin Juliana. The 17-year-old Vida forward responded quickly to the rebound and chipped it with his left foot over Juliana from the edge of the six-yard box.
Mejia netted his second two minutes later, receiving a long throw-in from the left by Axel Gomez and taking a touch, before unleashing a left-footed shot from a severe angle into the far-side netting.
In the third minute of stoppage time, the Hondurans struck for an insurance goal. Mejia burst into the Curacao box and delivered a pass to the right post. Teammate David Cardona and Curacao defender Quinto Burk slid for the ball, with neither making a solid connection. While both were on the ground, Cardona contorted his body to get his right foot on the ball and guide it over the line.
The goal came after Curacao’s Ayodele Kwidama was ejected in the 76th minute for his second yellow card.
Both sides return to action Thursday with Honduras taking on Haiti, before Curacao faces Panama.
