GUADALAJARA - Honduras punched their ticket to the Tokyo Games on Sunday, denying the United States a place in the Olympic football tournament with a 2-1 semi-final victory in the CONCACAF qualifying tournament.
Juan Carlos Obregon scored in first-half injury time and Luis Palma added a second for Honduras in the 47th minute when US goalkeeper David Ochoa's attempt to clear the ball caromed off Palm and into the goal.
Jackson Yueill pulled one back for the United States in the 52nd minute with a blast from outside the box.
But Honduras held on to qualify for their fifth Olympics and fourth in a row.
The United States, meanwhile, will miss their third straight Games, last qualifying in 2008.
It was the second straight time they were denied by Honduras, who also derailed their bid for a 2016 Rio de Janeiro berth.
A US men's team hasn't played in a major international tournament since the 2014 World Cup.
The second qualifier from the North and Central America and Caribbean region was to be decided in the other semi-final Sunday between Mexico and Canada.
Mexico, the 2012 Olympic gold medallists, are vying for a 12th trip to the Olympics.
Canada are going for a third appearance, but their first since the Games competition was made an under-23 affair in 1992. - AFP, March 29, 2021
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