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Published: Saturday October 10, 2009 MYT 9:27:00 AM

World Cup match big for US and Honduras

SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) - For Hondurans, Saturday night's World Cup qualifier is an opportunity to unite during a political crisis that's stretched on since June. For U.S. players, it's a chance to clinch a spot in next year's 32-nation field in South Africa.

"For me personally, and I think would I speak for the guys who were in Germany in 2006, this would be an opportunity at redemption in some ways," forward Landon Donovan said Friday as the United States prepared for the big match in Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.

Police fired tear gas and a water cannon at protesters on Friday in the capital of Tegucigalpa, but that's about a 4-hour drive across mountains from San Pedro Sula, Honduras' No. 2 city, so everything was pretty much normal at the U.S. team's hotel.

"The only interest from a soccer standpoint is making sure that it's safe and that everything's OK for us," Donovan said. "And, like we've said, we rely on our security team, on the coaching staff, on U.S. Soccer to do that. It's not something we worry about. And they've never put us in harm's way, and I don't think they every would."

A police official told The Tribune newspaper that there will be about 1,000 police and 350 soldiers to provide security at the stadium, establishing a series of perimeters rotating out from the field.

The United States leads North and Central America and the Caribbean with 16 points with two games left, followed by Mexico with 15, Honduras with 13 and Costa Rica with 12. The top three teams qualify, and the No. 4 finisher meets the fifth-place South American team in a home-and-home playoff.

The U.S. would clinch with a win, if Costa Rica loses at home to already eliminated Trinidad and Tobago or with a draw combined with a Costa Rican loss or draw. If the Americans don't clinch Saturday, they could assure themselves a World Cup berth on Wednesday with a win or draw against Costa Rica at Washington, D.C.

"We go into this game with an opportunity to go for it," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "The idea is to go for three points, to be aggressive and leave it all on the field."

Coming off first-round elimination at the 2006 World Cup, the 11th-ranked U.S. is seeking its sixth straight appearance at the sport's marquee tournament.

Trying to make it to the World Cup for only the second time and first since 1982, 42nd-ranked Honduras boasts several Europe-based players, including Wilson Palacios of Tottenham, Maynor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas of Wigan and David Suazo of Inter Milan. The Catrachos have won eight and lost none at home in qualifying, outscoring opponents 22-3 in those matches.

But Honduras will be missing captain Amado Guevara and Elvis Turcios, both suspended for yellow card accumulation. The U.S. is without midfielder Clint Dempsey, who sprained his right shoulder last weekend and will be replaced by Benny Feilhaber or Stuart Holden.

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