FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution forward Jerry Bengtson has been called up to represent Honduras during the country’s upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Mexico and Panama.
Honduras, which is currently ranked 43rd in the world in the most recent FIFA rankings, will face 20th-ranked Mexico on Friday, Sept. 6, in Mexico City. On Tuesday, Sept. 10, Honduras hosts 40th-ranked Panama in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Bengtson will depart the Revolution to join up with Honduras on Saturday, Aug. 31, following the Revs’ match at Toronto. He will miss the team’s match against Montreal on Sept. 8, and is expected to rejoin the Revs at training on Thursday, Sept. 12.
Bengtson has 35 appearances for Honduras and has scored 16 international goals. Bengtson’s last appearance came on June 7 in a 1-0 loss at Costa Rica, and his last international goal came against Mexico in a 2-2 tie on March 22.
HONDURAN SQUAD FOR WCQs
Sept. 6-10, 2013
GOALKEEPERS: Noel Valladares (Olimpia), Donis Escober (Olimpia) and Kevin Hernandez.
DEFENDERS: Maynor Figueroa (Hull City), Osman Chavez (Wilsa Krakow), Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic Glasgow), Victor Bernardez (San Jose Earthquakes), Juan Carlos Garcia (Wigan Athletic), Nery Medina (Olimpia), Juan Pablo Montes (Motagua) and Brayan Beckeles (Olimpia) and Arnold Peralta (Rangers).
MIDFIELDERS: Jorge Claros (Motagua), Marvin Chavez (San Jose Earthquakes), Boniek Garcia (Houston Dynamo), Roger Espinoza (Wigan Athletic), Luis Garrido (Olimpia), Wilson Palacios (Stoke City), Edgard Alvarez (Platense), Andy Najar (Anderlecht).
FORWARDS: Georgie Welcome (Motagua), Rony Martínez (Real Sociedad), Jerry Bengtson (New England Revolution) Carlo Costly (Guizhou Zhicheng) and Jerry Palacios (Liga Deportiva Alajuelense).
Honduras currently sits fourth in the six-team CONCACAF group, with four match days remaining in Hexagonal (final round) qualifying. The top three teams will automatically qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, while the fourth-place team will play a play-in series against the Oceania region winner (New Zealand).
