Honduras eliminate frustrated Spain
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Spain have been stunned as a 1-0 win for Honduras has seen them eliminated from London 2012 following successive defeats.
Jerry Bengtson got his third of the tournament to hand the CONCACAF side victory, but they rode their luck for large chunks of the game, with the Spaniards having enough chances to win two matches at least.
Spain were looking to recover from their shock 1-0 defeat to Japan but it didn’t take long for them to see the offensive prowess Honduras showed against Morocco.
Having already got two against the North Africans, it took just six minutes for Jerry Bengtson to draw level with Senegal’s Moussa Konate as the tournament’s leading scorer so far and dent Spain’s confidence further.
Honduras played the ball neatly to the left of Spain penalty area, seemingly with little on. However, Roger Espinoza found a yard to swing in a cross and Bengtson comprehensively out-jumped Jordi Alba, leaving David De Gea little chance with a firm, downward header.
Early on the well-fancied Europeans failed to conduct the game with the swagger they are renowned for, However they grew into the game. Juan Mata dragging wide before going agonisingly close soon after, slicing what would have been a fabulous volley after Martin Montoya’s cross.
It was de ja vu for Mata seconds before the break, as his side-footed effort drifting narrowly past the far post again as Spain finished very much on top.
Even so, they almost conceded again within five minutes of the restart. Espinoza almost adding to his earlier assist, arriving to meet Mario Martinez’s cross but his header cannoned off the inside of the post and Bengtson couldn’t react to score the rebound.
The scenario played out almost identically at the other end four minutes later. This time Montoya was the provider, Adrian Lopez heading against the bar and Muniain missing the follow-up. The man from Athletic Club rattled the woodwork himself ten minutes later, receiving the ball 40-yards out, before driving past two Hondurans and thumping the right-hand post with a low drive.
Spain continued to knock at the door, substitute Rodrigo producing a superb save from Jose Mendoza, before the goalkeeper triumphed again, diving at the forward’s feet when through on goal. Hondurasluck held firm to the end though as they pressed until the end. Rodrigo coming closest as he struck the bar again, miscuing Mata’s cross with the goal at his mercy.