 Honduras 2 Bermuda 0
Bermuda’s dreams of reaching the FIFA Under-17 World Cup came to a valiant but disappointing end at the Estadio Francisco Morazán as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Group H hosts Honduras.
Bermuda arrived in San Pedro Sula facing a daunting mathematical equation, needing a victory by at least two clear goals to advance on goal difference. In contrast, the hosts knew that a win or a draw would be enough to secure their direct passage to the world stage.
Honduras Starting Line-up: - Juan Quesada, Nelson Castillo, Jefferson Guiti, Denzel Arzu (Josue Ortega 68th), Kevin Pérez, Yeiron Arzú, Leandro Padilla, Jonathan Claros (Heiner Reyes 76th), Mike Arana (Charly Chávez 53rd), Milton Moya (Jeremy Rodriguez 68th), Eduardo Romero (Angel Maradiaga 76th) - Substitutes: - Miguel Castillo, Darwin Cruz, Nelson Palomo, Fabián Ramos, Raúl Villatoro - Bermuda Starting Line-up: - Nuri Latham, Milliunh Hill (Tyler Steede 36th), Amir Brangman, Amir Weller, Kayuri Tucker (Joshua Smith 90th), Deacon Wade, Roman Wilkinson, Na'im Zuill, Z'Ani Jennings (Mateus Amara 89th), Shiia Davis (Kaiyuri Albuoy 46th), Jèon Wolfe (Zydon Lightbourne 46th) - Substitutes: - Ethan Adderley, Rylan Desilva, Norico Furbert, Curtis Jackson, Shiloh Waite
The high-stakes encounter was delayed by forty-five minutes before kick-off due to a floodlight failure at the historic stadium, but once play commenced, the atmospheric pressure was palpable.
Honduras established their dominance early, controlling 61.6% of the ball in the first half. While Bermuda’s Na'im Zuill saw an ambitious right-footed effort from distance blocked in the 15th minute, the hosts eventually broke the deadlock. In the 35th minute, Mike Arana produced a moment of individual brilliance, firing a left-footed strike into the back of the net from a challenging angle to give Honduras a 1-0 lead at the interval.
Bermuda head coach Aaron Denkins rang the changes at half-time, introducing Zydon Lightbourne and Kaiyuri Albuoy to inject fresh impetus into the attack. The tactical shift saw Bermuda's possession improve to 40.1% overall, but clear-cut chances remained elusive against a disciplined Honduran backline.
Substitute Tyler Steede attempted to spark a comeback in the 56th minute with a speculative long-range effort that was blocked, before Z'Ani Jennings forced a fine save from Honduran keeper Juan Quesada in the 71st minute. It proved to be Bermuda’s only shot on target during a grueling 90 minutes.
As Bermuda pushed forward in search of an equaliser, the hosts exploited the space behind. The result was put beyond doubt ten minutes from time when substitute Jeremy Rodriguez rose highest to power a header into the top right corner, doubling the lead and effectively ending the contest.
Honduras finished the match with 19 total shots compared to Bermuda's four, reflecting their superior clinical edge in the final third. For Bermuda, the defeat marks a somber end to the campaign; despite their defensive resilience, the team failed to find the net in 180 minutes of football, conceding three goals across the qualifying group.
Honduras now moves forward to represent the region on the global stage, while Bermuda's youngsters return home to focus on the next cycle of international development.
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