MIAMI, Florida – The 2021 Concacaf Nations League Finals will kick off with a bang as the United States duel with Honduras in the semifinals on Thursday night at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado.
Since the resumption of international football in 2020, the U.S. have put together a record of 5W-1D-1L in that period, but now a big test awaits in Concacaf competition against the Catrachos.
The U.S. finished atop Group A of League A with a 3W-0D-1L record, with 15 goals scored and will try to carry that offensive firepower into Thursday’s clash.
Leading the way for the U.S. will be MF Christian Pulisic, who has a goal in two career matches against Honduras and is fresh off of winning the UEFA Champions League with English Premier League giants Chelsea.
U.S. Head Coach Gregg Berhalter can also count on a crew of other European-based players to add punch, including MF Weston McKennie of Juventus, DF Sergino Dest of FC Barcelona and FW Giovanni Reyna of Borussia Dortmund.
Honduras were very strong in finishing first in Group C of League A with a 3W-1D-0L record and conceding just one goal in their four matches.
Head Coach Fabian Coito’s team appears to have improved every time they take the field and the likes of FW Alberth Elis and FW Antony Lozano give the Uruguayan manager two of the best attacking players in the region.
ALL TIME-SERIES
• The last time they met: Honduras 1-1 United States (Romell Quioto; Bobby Wood), in the Concacaf qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, San Pedro Sula Olympic Stadium, HON (5 Sep 2017).
• They have met 25 times overall, with 16 wins for the United States (GF 46 ), 4 wins for Honduras (GF 23 ) and 5 draws.
• It will be the first meeting in the Concacaf Nations League.
• Concacaf Series: 10 games played with 6 wins for the United States (GF 20 ), 2 draws and 2 wins for Honduras (GF 11 ).
• Concacaf Gold Cup Series (since 1991): 7 games with 6 wins for the United States (GF 12 GA 3 ) and 1 draw. (Final at 1991)
• They have met in two semi-finals and one final (1991) and it is the second time they will do so on a Thursday, the previous one was on July 21, 2005, a 2-1 win for the US Iván Guerrero for Honduras and Oguchi Onyewu (2) for the USA.
• Three times they met in the group stage.
• For the first time they will meet in Denver, Colorado. They have faced each other in Los Angeles, Dallas, East Rutherford, NJ, Seattle WA, Chicago IL, Arlington TX.
