United States miss Olympics again after semifinal loss to Honduras

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:08 am

U.S. players react after conceding a goal to Honduras in Olympic qualifying.
U.S. players react after conceding a goal to Honduras in Olympic qualifying.
AP Images

The United States will miss a third straight Olympics men's tournament after losing 2-1 to Honduras in the semifinal of the CONCACAF qualifying round for the 2020 games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Sunday afternoon.

Both under-23 teams got off to slow starts in the searing heat in Guadalajara, but Honduras managed to fashion two chances in the opening 20 minutes, with U.S. keeper David Ochoa making solid saves on both.

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Honduras took a deserved lead in first-half stoppage time when Juan Carlos Obregon bundled home from very close range, with Ochoa getting a hand on the ball but not being able to keep it out of the net.

The second half started with a bang, as Honduras doubled the lead through Luis Palma, but Jackson Yueill clawed one right back for the U.S. with an absolute thunderbolt from 20 yards out to give the Americans hope of a fightback.

The U.S. pushed hard for an equalizer and might have scored when Tanner Tessmann picked out Jonathan Lewis right in front of goal, but Lewis scuffed his effort and Honduras held on to the lead.

The result means Jason Kreis' team will not be in the Summer Games in Tokyo, and the American men have not qualified for the Olympics since 2008 after reaching them every four years prior to that starting in 1992.

Meanwhile, Honduras has now qualified for four Olympic Games in a row following the defeat of the U.S. on Sunday.