SANDY, Utah — Victor Guzman scored in the second half and Mexico beat Honduras 2-0 Tuesday night in the final of the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
The teams already clinched spots in the 2016 Rio Olympics with victories in the semifinals Saturday. Mexico is the defending Olympic champion.
Mexico also got an own goal from Honduras midfielder Bryan Acosta in the 42nd minute. Mexican defender Rodolfo Pizzaro set the play in motion when he sent a bicycle kick into forward Erick Torres in front of the goalmouth. Torres outjumped Acosta for the ball and headed it backward, but his shot glanced off of Acosta’s right shoulder and the ball bounced into the net.
Guzman scored in the 68th minute. He settled a cross from defender Erick Aguirre and blasted a left-footer from outside the top of the 18-yard box, straight down the middle and into the back of the net.
Earlier, the United States kept alive its bid to reach the Rio Olympics.
Marc Pelosi and Jordan Kiesewetter scored second-half goals and the US beat Canada 2-0 to finish third and set up a playoff game against Colombia for a spot in Rio.
Pelosi scored in the 69th minute, blasting a shot from top of the 18-yard box when the ball rolled to his feet after a scramble off a corner kick. Kiesewtter made it 2-0 in the 84th when he curled a penalty kick past goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.
Now the US must prepare to face Colombia in March in Rio de Janeiro. It is a bittersweet pill for the U-23 team to swallow after it performed so well in the group stages before stumbling against Honduras Saturday.
Jebor scores a hat trick
William Jebor staged a one-man demolition act Tuesday to take Liberia into the second round of 2018 World Cup qualifying in Africa.
The 23-year-old striker from Spanish second-tier club Ponferradina scored a hat trick as the Lone Stars atoned for a poor first-leg showing by winning the return game 3-1 in Guinea-Bissau.
Liberia qualified 4-2 on aggregate after being held 1-1 in Monrovia last Thursday and face reigning African champions Ivory Coast next month in another home-and-away tie.
Chad, who suffered a four-goal home drubbing from Egypt in a Cup of Nations qualifier last month, was surprise World Cup winner at the expense of higher-ranked Sierra Leone.
Comoros, an east-coast island state, celebrated success for the first time in World Cup qualifying despite not winning either match against Lesotho.
Held to a goalless draw in Moroni six days ago, the Comorans came from behind to draw 1-1 in Maseru and advance on away goals.
Mauritania showed World Cup debutants South Sudan no mercy with a 4-0 triumph in Nouakchott.
Having drawn 1-1 in Juba last week in a match that took 19 hours to complete because of rain, the Mauritanians needed just four minutes to go in front at home through Moulaye Ahmed Khalil.
Namibia had a much tougher passage, clawing back to edge Gambia 2-1 in Windhoek after a drawn first leg with the tie-clinching goal coming from Hendrik Somaeb.
Madagascar, Burundi, Niger and Botswana also advanced to the second round while the Swaziland-Djibouti tie was postponed by FIFA for unexplained “logistical reasons.” — Agencies
