For U.S., a Surprisingly Pleasant Trip to Honduras

New York times soccer blog
By Jeré Longman

SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras — For complicated reasons that are historical and political more than athletic, trips by the United States to Mexico and Central America can reflexively become a referendum on the American standing as a superpower, not as a soccer giant.

The American anthem is ritualistically jeered. Players are heckled with boos. Sometimes they are greeted with thrown coins or hurled bags of urine. In Mexico City in mid-August, some fans tossed beer at American reporters and showed them with hand gestures that did not signal “We’re No. 1.” At an Olympic qualifying match in Guadalajara, Mexico, in February 2004, some fans chanted “Osama, Osama” at the American team.

And then there was the gracious way the United States was received by 45,000 fans in Honduras on Saturday night. This country is roiling with a political crisis, lingering since its president was ousted in a coup d’etat in June. But Saturday’s World Cup qualifying match was all about sport, not politics. The people wanted a chance to forget their troubles for a few hours, to celebrate. Read entire article