Carlos Pavon, Amado Guevara headline Honduras team to play U.S. on Saturday
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
Former Galaxy striker Carlos Pavon and former Chivas USA playmaker Amado Guevara are included on the roster of 19 players selected by World Cup-bound Honduras for its Saturday friendly against the United States at the Home Depot Center.
Honduras Coach Reinaldo Rueda has chosen only Honduran-based players for the 6 p.m. match (FSC and Galavision), the lone exception being midfielder Roger Espinoza of Major League Soccer’s Kansas City Wizards.
Pavon, along with goalkeeper Noel Valladares and defenders Osman Chavez, Emilio Izaguirre and Mauricio Sabillon, are the only players on the roster who played in Honduras’ 3-2 loss to the U.S. in San Pedro Sula, Honduras in October when the Americans clinched their place in the South Africa 2010 World Cup. Guevara was suspended for that match.
Saturday evening’s game is the first World Cup preparatory game of the year for the U.S., but Coach Bob Bradley’s squad contains only two of the starters from the October match against Honduras -- defender Jonathan Bornstein and forward Conor Casey.
Bradley is likely to assemble his full team for the next U.S. game, against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on March 3.
The Honduras roster, including club teams:
Goalkeepers: Noel Valladares (Olimpia), Ricardo Canales (Motagua), Donis Escobar (Olimpia).
Defenders: Mariano Acevedo (Marathon), Erick Norales (Marathon), Mauricio Sabillon (Marathon), Emilio Izaguirre (Motagua), Johnny Palacios (Olimpia), Oscar Boniek Garcia (Olimpia), Carlos Palacios (Real Espana), Osman Chavez (Platense).
Midfielders: Roger Espinoza (Kansas City Wizards), Danilo Turcios (Olimpia), Walter Martinez (Marathon), Jerry Palacios (Marathon), Melvin Valladares (Real Espana), Amado Guevara (Motagua).
Forwards: Georgie Welcome (Motagua), Carlos Pavon (Real Espana).
-- Grahame L. Jones