Bobby Wood rescues U.S. with late equalizer at Honduras
Hamburg striker Bobby Wood salvaged the United States' World Cup hopes Tuesday at Honduras with an 85th-minute goal to cement a 1-1 draw.
The U.S. is at risk of missing out on the World Cup for the first time since the 1986 installment after failing to secure the three points. Still, it could have been far worse.
Bruce Arena's lot narrowly sits above Honduras for third place by virtue of goal differential with two matches to play in CONCACAF qualifiers.
Romell Quioto handed Los Catrachos a first-half advantage when Omar Gonzalez's gaffe gifted the Houston Dynamo attacker a straightforward effort beyond the reach of Brad Guzan. It was a deserved goal for Jorge Luis Pinto's lot after the U.S. was sloppy for the better part of the opening stanza.
Related - Watch: Honduras stuns U.S. with Quioto's opener
The Americans' clumsy play continued in the second half, as the likes of Christian Pulisic and Kellyn Acosta failed to provide the Seattle Sounders duo of Jordan Morris and Clint Dempsey with any form of service to threaten Luis Lopez's goal.
Honduras' Anthony Lozano should have made it two to the good in the 76th minute, but a four-on-two attack culminated in a limp effort from the winger. A minute later, and Lozano rung a strike off the bar that caught the slightest of touches from Guzan as the host turned the screw in front of a partisan crowd.
Second-half substitute Wood was the hero late when Acosta's free-kick stung the bar and eventually fell to the Bundesliga boy just yards from Lopez for an easy finish.
Panama plays host to Trinidad and Tobago later Tuesday, with the former able to vault both the U.S. and Honduras with a victory.