Honduras 2 Bermuda 0

Bermuda missed out on qualification for the Fifa Under-17 Men’s World Cup following a narrow loss to Honduras on Wednesday.

Needing to overcome the host nation by two clear goals to top the group, Aaron Denkins’s side could not put Honduras under any serious pressure. Instead, it was the home side who secured victory, courtesy of goals from a left-footed strike by Mike Arana in the 35th minute and substitute Jeremy Rodriguez’s header in the 81st minute.

Honduras finished on top of group H to secure their seventh qualification for the World Cup. Bermuda, who lost their opening match to Guyana last Friday, finished bottom of the three-team standings with no points.

The match started 45 minutes late at Estadio Francisco Morazán due to issues with the floodlights.

Once the contest got under way, Bermuda were almost in trouble as Milton Moya squared the ball for Yeiron Arzú, whose effort went wide.

Bermuda goalkeeper Nuri Latham then came off his line to deny Eduardo Romero after a miscue by Milliunh Hill.

In the tenth minute Romero whipped the ball into the box for Moya, but the forward could not connect. Shortly after, Latham came off his line to make the angle tight for Moya, forcing the Honduras No 9 to hit the upright.

Captain Amir Brangman-Johnson then made a clearance on the line to deny Romero in the eighteenth minute.

Shortly after opening the scoring, Arana lined up a stinging shot from distance, which Latham did well to deal with.

Romero could have added a second for Honduras in the 73rd minute when his header went wide from substitute Charly Chávez’s cross.

Bermuda had a great chance in the 76th minute as Kayuri Tucker’s header sailed over from a free kick.

Rodriguez settled the match with nine minutes to go when he rose high to head in Josue Ortega’s cross from the left.

SCORERS

Honduras: Arana 35, Rodriguez 81

TEAMS

Bermuda (4-4-2): N Latham—K Tucker (sub: J Smith, 90) A Brangman-Johnson, A Weller, M Hill (sub: T Steede, 36) — Z Jennings (sub: M Amaral, 89), D Wade, R Wilkinson, N Zuill— S Davis (sub: K Albuoy, 46), J Wolfe (sub: Z Lightbourne Furbert, 46). Substitutes not used: C Jackson, N Furbert, E Adderley, S Waite, R DeSilva. Booked: Tucker, Zuill

Honduras (4-3-3) J Quesada—K Pérez, N Castillo, J Guiti, N Castillo—L Padilla, J Claros (sub: H Reyes, 76), D Arzu (sub: J Ortega, 68) — E Romero (sub: A Maradiaga, 76), M Moya (sub: J Rodriguez, 68), M Arana (sub: C Chávez, 53). Substitutes not used: M Castillo, D Cruz, N Palomo, F Ramos, R Villatoro. Booked:

Referee: R Tejada (Panama).