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Bobby Wood
Bobby Wood, third left, is mobbed by his United States team-mates after scoring a late equalizer against Honduras on Tuesday. Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Bobby Wood, third left, is mobbed by his United States team-mates after scoring a late equalizer against Honduras on Tuesday. Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP

Bobby Wood rescues point and World Cup qualifying hopes for USA

This article is more than 6 years old

It was a game the United States did not need to win but one they dared not lose. And Bobby Wood rescued a point – and with it his country’s World Cup qualifying hopes – with a dramatic late equalizer against Honduras on Tuesday.

Wood, a second-half substitute, pounced on a loose ball in the 85th minute, after Kellyn Acosta’s powerful free-kick caused havoc in the Honduras penalty area, to spare USA blushes.

For now the USA stay above Honduras in the third and final automatic qualifying spot for Russia 2018 and while they may fall below Panama, who take on lowly Trinidad and Tobago later on Tuesday, their World Cup hopes remain in their hands. Just.

Victory over Panama and Trinidad in their final two games will seal a berth at an eighth consecutive World Cup. Even if they slip to fourth place in their group, a play-off against Australia or Syria awaits.

For much of their game against Honduras, the USA were outplayed and appeared on the brink of a disastrous defeat after Romell Quioto’s first-half opener. But Wood came to USA’s rescue at the death. It wasn’t pretty but it was effective.

Mr. @BobbyS_Wood to the rescue! 🇺🇸@KellynAcosta with the shot and @JmoSmooth13 the assist.pic.twitter.com/QXMc7GG0hB

— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) September 5, 2017

Bruce Arena promised to make multiple changes to his starting line-up in the wake of the dismal 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica and he made no fewer than seven, one of which was enforced after Jody Altidore’s suspension for yellow-card accumulation. In came goalkeeper Brad Guzan, defenders Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, DeMarcus Beasley, midfielder Acosta and Clint Dempsey just behind Jordan Morris up front.

This meant all but two of the starting XI were Major League Soccer representatives, Arena believing that fielding players used to baking-hot conditions was a necessary move to make. And as the teams kicked off in 91F conditions, it was the USA who dominated possession early on. Yet for all their time on the ball, the visitors struggled to make many meaningful chances as Honduras appeared keen to sit back and wait for their opportunity on the counter-attack.

The first serious effort on goal came in the 28th minute and with it came a goal for Honduras. Gonzalez, back-tracking desperately, was at fault as he let Quioto slip by him inside the USA area, the forward striking the ball neatly off the far post and into the net.

🇭🇳 GOOOOAAAAL: @RomellSamir strikes first, and #USMNT will have to wake up from an early nightmare! #USAvHON #WCQ2018 pic.twitter.com/cIvRMugIU2

— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) September 5, 2017

The USA could have been 2-o down at the break but a blistering free-kick from Maynor Figueroa in the 43rd minute flew straight into the path of Guzan, who parried well.

Arena made two changes midway through the second half in an effort to shake things up, with Paul Arriola and Geoff Cameron coming in for Beasley and Graham Zusi. Soon after Wood came in for Darlington Nagbe but as much as the USA pushed, they could not break down the Honduras defence and, as they went for an equalizer, opened themselves up at the back.

The USA did not give up and Wood ensured their World Cup dreams stay alive just as it seemed all hope was lost. Arena himself admitted as much. “That’s a huge point for the US team,” he said afterwards. “The conditions were challenging for both teams. I’m really proud of our team.

“The point is a point on the road and it takes two away from a team we’re competing with for the World Cup. It’s a huge point.”

Morris added: “I think it shows the mentality of our team, we knew that we had to get a result down here. Credit to Bobby, he came in and scored a nice goal. As a team we worked really hard the whole game. Obviously we would have loved three points but a point is big for us down here.”

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