Mexico vs Honduras score, result, highlights as El Tri qualify for Copa America on penalties in dramatic fashion

Kyle Bonn

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Mexico vs Honduras score, result, highlights as El Tri qualify for Copa America on penalties in dramatic fashion image

Mexico were on the verge of elimination from the CONCACAF Nations League, where they would need to navigate a one-game playoff just to qualify for the 2024 Copa America.

Then, peak CONCACAF happened, and El Tri advanced in epic fashion, as Edson Alvarez's 101st minute equalizer forced extra time, and Mexico triumphed in a drama-filled penalty shootout.

Honduras, who came in with a 2-0 aggregate lead after victory in the first leg, held on for dear life throughout the match. Luis Chavez's opening goal just before halftime put Mexico within striking distance, but the hosts came up empty with chance after chance to level the aggregate score.

As the game wound down and the hosts time and time again missed open opportunities to score, it seemed as if they were destined for an early Nations League exit. Yet referee Ivan Barton and his crew inexplicably showed an astronomical nine minutes of stoppage time, giving Mexico new life.

MORE: The latest CONCACAF Nations League scores, standings, fixtures, and highlights

They used every second afforded to them, and in the 11th minute of added time, Alvarez managed to poke the ball into the next for the equalizer. Honduras held on through extra time to force a penalty shootout, but again the referees pegged them back in their quest for a huge upset.

With Honduras in the shootout by the fourth round, referee Ivan Barton wiped off not one but two saves by Honduran goalkeeper Edrick Menjivar on Cesar Huerta's penalty for coming off his line early, and Huerta bagged his third take to keep the hosts in front. After that, Andy Najar's miss saw Mexico officially through, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

The Sporting News followed the Mexico versus Honduras match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happened.

Mexico vs Honduras final score

  Score (2H) Goal scorers Aggregate Penalties
Mexico 2 L. Chavez (42'),
E. Alvarez (101')		 2 4
Honduras 0 – 2 2

Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. local (9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT)
Location: Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, Mexico)
Referee: Ivan Barton (SLV)

Starting lineups:

Mexico (4-2-3-1, right to left): 12. Malagon (GK) — 19. J. Sanchez (Araujo, 104'), 3. Montes, 5. J. Vazquez, 23. Gallardo — 4. E. Alvarez, 18. Chavez — 15. Antuna (Huerta, 57'), 14. E. Sanchez (Quinones, 73'), 22. H. Lozano — 20. Martin (Gimenez, 73').

Honduras (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Menjivar (GK) — 14. Najar, 2. Maldonado (red card — 115'), 4. Vega (Santos, 46'), 8. Rosales (Rivas, 100') — 20. Flores, 23. J. Alvarez (Acosta, 76') — 11. Rivas (Elis, 46'), 16. E. Rodriguez, 17. Palma (D. Garcia, 90') — 9. A. Lozano (Rochez, 73').

Mexico vs Honduras live updates, highlights, commentary

PENALTY SHOOTOUT: Mexico 4-2 Honduras

  R1 R2 R3 R4 R5
Mexico O O O O —
Honduras X O O X —

4th Round:

Mexico: To put Honduras under pressure, up steps Cesar Huerta...ITS SAVED! Huerta goes with the Jorginho-style hop skip, and Edrick Menjivar isn't fooled by it, so the weak effort is stopped!

BUT NO! The referee orders a re-take with Menjivar stepping off his line too early thanks to Huerta's stutter step! The next effort...IS ALSO SAVED!

BUT NO! HE'S GONE TOO EARLY AGAIN! Menjivar is booked for ignoring the referee's instructions twice! We will have a third take, and...HE SCORES! Huerta gets a third crack at it, and he's found the net! What drama!

Honduras: Now Honduras captain Andy Najar must score, and...HE MISSES! MEXICO ADVANCE!

3rd Round:

Mexico: For the hosts it's Orbelin Pineda, and he steps up and...SCORES! It's another horribly weak penalty that Edrick Menjivar should save, but the Honduran goalkeeper reacts extremely late and can't reach it! What a poor performance from Menjivar in this shootout!

Honduras: Now for Honduras it's Alberth Elis, who...SCORES! He sends Luis Malagon the wrong way and rolls it into the net with ease!

2nd Round:

Mexico: Here's Johan Vazquez, and he...SCORES! Vazquez has gotten away with that one, as he fires it low and central, and Edrick Menjivar dives over the ball! He could have saved that!

Honduras: Next up for Honduras is Bryan Acosta who...SCORES! It's a powerful blast into the top-left corner! No mistake with that one!

1st Round:

There's some confusion as the side initially selected for the penalties has a scuffed spot, so after talking with the captains, the referee has decided to change sides for the shootout.

Mexico: The hosts will take first in the shootout, and Santiago Gimenez steps up...he SCORES! He ROOFS it powerfully, and it clatters in off the underside of the crossbar!

Honduras: Up steps Bryan Roches for the visitors, and...SAVED! That was such a weak penalty lacking confidence, looped to the goalkeeper's left, and he leaps to make a relatively simple diving save!

END OF EXTRA TIME: Mexico 2-0 Honduras

We're going to penalties! Honduras hang on and reach spot-kicks despite everything going against them. It's a Herculean effort from the visitors, and now we'll see who will advance and who will go home. A spot in the 2024 Copa America and a semifinal date with Panama await the winner.

Mexico vs Honduras: Extra Time

115th min: RED CARD, HONDURAS! Denil Maldonado is sent off for a bad foul on Cesar Huerta! Honduras will really be up against it now!

107th min: Mexico are right back on the offensive, as they continue to work the ball in and around the Honduras penalty area. Chucky Lozano flashes a cross along the face of goal but Santiago Gimenez can't reach it.

Halftime: The extra-time break has arrived without a goal to this point. It's been one-way traffic as Honduras have yet to trouble El Tri's back line at all, hardly with a touch of the ball in the attacking half. Can they hold on for another 15 minutes?

99th min: Mexico are absolutely pummeling the Honduras penalty area with crosses and entry passes, but they just cannot get a shot on goal. Santiago Gimenez has an effort blocked by Denil Maldonado out for a corner, and the Honduran defender collapses to the turf. Everyone is exhausted.

Elson Rivas enters for Joseph Rosales who is completely out of gas. El Tri respond with the introduction of Julian Araujo for Jorge Sanchez at right-back.

94th min: Denil Maldonado is booked for dissent, as he's screaming at the official for...something, who knows what. He got demonstrative after Honduras were given a call, so it's unclear what he's upset about.

92nd min: Jorge Sanchez is booked for a late lunge, but he pulled out of the tackle at the end so it's nothing more than that.

Kickoff: They're under way for 30 minutes of extra time, and it appears they are playing 11-a-side, which means the red card shown was not to anyone on the pitch.

END OF REGULATION: Mexico 2-0 Honduras

Honduras players are ABSOLUTELY LIVID with the officiating crew, and it's hard to blame them, as the amount of stoppage time given was utterly unexplainable. Yet it's boiled over, and the referee has shown a red card, but to whom we aren't sure just yet.

If it's to a field player, Honduras will have to play extra time a man down, but it could be to someone on the staff or a substitute, which wouldn't affect the players on the field.

Once this is all sorted out, we will have 30 minutes of extra time, as Mexico's 34th shot of the match finds the back of the net.

Mexico vs Honduras: Second Half

90+11 min: GOAL! MEXICO! EDSON ALVAREZ HAS DONE IT WITH THE LAST KICK OF THE GAME! WE'RE GOING TO EXTRA TIME AS MEXICO EQUALIZE! Honduras faced too many chances not to concede, and with the game deep into an inexplicable amount of stoppage time, they've drawn level. 

90+9 min: Chance, Mexico! Cesar Montes fires a shot wide! The effort from eight yards out takes a deflection and El Tri have a corner, where Santiago Gimenez heads over the crossbar! We've exhausted the nine minutes of stoppage time, but there have been some Honduras injuries which will surely add more to the clock, so we play on.

90+6 min: Chance, Mexico! Cesar Montes heads wide of the far post! El Tri have had so many chances on net and just cannot find the all-important equalizer!

Devron Garcia enters for Honduras to replace Luis Palma, and there's some hilarity as the fourth official's board reads "FIFA" rather than the two red and green numbers.

90+2 min: Julian Quinones arrives very late as Edrick Menjivar collects a bouncing ball, and he blasts the Honduras goalkeeper in the shoulder. Menjivar is down receiving treatment, and it's a wonder how Quinones doesn't get booked for this reckless challenge.

While his goalkeeper is down on the ground being attended to, Alberth Elis is shown a yellow card for his protests.

88th min: Chance, Mexico! EL TRI CAN'T BUY A GOAL, HOW HAS THAT NOT GONE IN?!?!?! A corner causes absolute mayhem in the Honduras penalty area, but Mexico can't quite get it on frame, as a point-blank effort is somehow blocked by Edrick Menjivar, who's been a brick wall down the stretch! Quinones has had three chances to level the aggregate score and been unable to do so!

A whopping nine minutes of stoppage time are shown! Where on earth has the referee pulled that number out of? There's hardly been a stoppage at all in this half!

87th min: Chance, Mexico! Cesar Montes fires a shot right at Edrick Menjivar, who makes a solid save down low! This El Tri finishing has been awful!

84th min: Chance, Mexico! Bryan Acosta clears the ball off the line at the near post! A Mexico corner is met at the far post by Cesar Montes, but headed straight into the ground. Montes keep it alive, and it's poked it on frame by Luis Romo past Edrick Menjivar, but Acosta is positioned well and ushers it away right on the goal mouth!

Menjivar is booked for time wasting in the aftermath.

82nd min: Santiago Gimenez comes flying in for a diving header in front of the Honduras goal, and he clashes heads with a defender. Both are on the ground receiving treatment, but they soon are up and can continue.

76th min: Julian Quinones has another effort on goal, this time a header from atop the six-yard box, but he pokes it straight at Edrick Menjivar. The 26-year-old has been a menace since coming on, but he's produced two very poor finishes.

The latest Honduras change sees Jorge Alvarez withdrawn in favor of Bryan Acosta.

73rd min: Chance, Mexico! JULIAN QUINONES MISSES THE CHANCE TO DRAW LEVEL! Just moments after coming on, the El Tri substitute is the beneficiary of a fortunate deflection as he charges forward on the ball, and it sees him in on goal, but his effort from inside the top of the penalty area drags wide! He had the whole goal to shoot at and came up empty!

70th min: Hirving Lozano is booked for a tackle from behind on Anthony Lozano to stop a counter. Lozano is down for a while needing treatment, and has to be replaced.

Both sides make substitutions. Santiago Gimenez and Julian Quinones come on for Mexico to replace Henry Martin and Erick Sanchez, while Bryan Rochez enters in place of striker Lozano.

63rd min: Chance, Mexico! Edson Alvarez heads wide! He rose high to meet a cross from the left, and with Edrick Menjivar coming off his line to punch but whiffing, the goal was wide open, but the ball flashes wide of the far post!

61st min: Chance, Honduras! WHAT A SAVE BY LUIS MALAGON! He tips a point-blank header by Anthony Lozano over the bar! That's a glorious chance for Honduras to effectively end the matchup and secure a place in the semifinals, and the Mexico goalkeeper has rescued El Tri's chances!

57th min: Mexico make their first change as Uriel Antuna is withdrawn for Cesar Huerta. It has begun to pour in Mexico city, and the rain is streaming down at Estadio Azteca.

55th min: Chance, Mexico! Edrick Menjivar comes up with an awkward but important save! A ball from the left near the end line evades the Honduras defense, deflecting right to Erick Sanchez at the top of the six-yard box. He looks to poke it into the net, but Menjivar steps across to get in the way and clip the ball out of play for a corner. 

51st min: Luis Chavez is booked for catching Edwin Rodriguez with a scissor tackle. He pulled out of the challenge, but it was still late.

49th min: Mexico have begun pummeling the Honduras penalty area with crosses from deep, but the visitors have so far held firm under early pressure to star the second half.

Kickoff: We're back under way for the second half at Estadio Azteca! Mexico need another goal to draw level on aggregate, while a goal from Honduras would be devastating to El Tri as it would give the visitors the away goals tiebreaker.

Honduras make two changes, as Alberth Elis enters for Rigoberto Rivas, while Raul Santos comes on to replace Luis Vega.

HALFTIME: Mexico 1-0 Honduras

Honduras started the match well, finding moments to trouble Mexico on the counter, but eventually they succumbed to waves and waves of pressure and conceded the opener shortly before halftime.

The job is far from done for either side. Honduras remain in the lead but are under heavy pressure, while Mexico have not yet completed the comeback. A very entertaining 45 minutes are yet to come!

Mexico vs Honduras: First Half

45+6 min: Anthony Lopez is shown a yellow card for dragging back a Mexico player who was breaking in transition.

45+4 min: With six minutes of stoppage time shown, Chucky Lozano wastes a good move forward by blasting a shot from extremely deep nowhere close to the goal.

42nd min: GOAL! MEXICO! There's the first of the two Mexico need! Joseph Rosales is booked for a very late and dangerous tackle on Uriel Antuna, and now Mexico will have a free kick from about 25 or 27 yards out.

Luis Chavez stands over it and rips a low looping shot that fools the goalkeeper and tucks inside the near post. El Tri have a lifeline!

36th min: Honduran goalkeeper Edrick Menjivar is down on the end line in a ton of pain. That initially draws boos from the crowd who are led to believe he's wasting time, but as he slams the turf in anger, it's clear there's something wrong. He seems to have done something to his hamstring or knee.

30th min: Honduras have done well to pick their spots, and they charge forward yet again, but the cross from the right evades the streaking attacker. They recycle it from the left side, but Luis Malagon does well to dive and punch it clear.

23rd min: Chance, Honduras! Luis Malagon is forced into a diving save on a vicious effort from distance by Jorge Alvarez! He produced a heat-seeker that was destined for the lower right-hand corner, but Malagon made the stop as he plays in place of the injured Guillermo Ochoa!

11th min: Edson Alvarez picks up a really silly yellow card for some extra curricular activity off the ball, pushing Edwin Rodriguez. He will have to be careful the rest of the match.

8th min: Uriel Antuna latches onto a long ball from Hirving Lozano, but can't direct it on goal! A good chance from deep but they can't put it on frame.

It's been all El Tri so far in the opening minutes, as you'd expect to be the case for most of the match. They haven't managed to create much other than the early chance, though.

2nd min: Chance, Mexico! The ball falls to Hirving Lozano at the near post but it bounces awkwardly and he can't put it on frame! A shot is deflected right into his lap as he makes a vertical run, and it clangs off the post and back into his chest, which he wasn't expecting. It goes off the PSV man and out for a goal kick.

Kickoff: This match is under way! Mexico has 90 minutes to salvage its CONCACAF Nations League lives and qualify for the Copa America!

Mexico vs Honduras: Pre-match commentary, analysis, stats, and more

30 mins to kickoff: The defeat in Honduras has caused a stir in the Mexican media. It felt as if the recently friendlies against Germany and Ghana signaled a turning point that the struggles of the last year or two were beginning to turn around, but now there's speculation by some that that friendly result may have adversely affected the El Tri squad.

Jorge Pietrasanta of ESPN said that he believes the team was "overconfident" going into the first leg against Honduras, and that Mexico "fell victim to their pride."

45 mins to kickoff: With Mexico being humbled in Tegucigalpa last week, the Honduran fans took the chance to rub salt in the wound after the match by singing a staple song of the El Tri fans, "Cielito Lindo” which translates to "Pretty Little Sky."

The main lyrics go, "sing and don't cry, because singing, the hearts get happy, pretty little sky." Cheeky from the Honduran fans, but will they come to regret that early banter at full-time tonight?

1 hour to kickoff: The Mexico lineup is in, and there are some surprises for sure. Santiago Gimenez is, for some reason, benched in favor of Henry Martin up front, despite the youngster's exceptional form at the club level. They will play a 4-2-3-1 with Martin up top and Erick Sanchez at the No. 10.

1 hour 15 mins: Once one of the biggest stars in recent Mexican football history, Hirving Lozano has lost his way. At 28 years old, El Chucky's career has stalled for both club and country.

He fell out of favor at Napoli and had to move to PSV, where, outside of a hat-trick against floundering giants Ajax, he has just two goals and two assists in 11 matches, including zero goal contributions in four Champions League games. For Mexico, he has just three goals since the start of 2022, with just one of those coming in competitive action. He finished the last World Cup qualifying cycle with an eight-match scoreless streak and then put up a goose egg at the 2022 World Cup.

He's reportedly on a collision course with a move to MLS, which would signal a potential end to his European career much quicker than many expected, although the claim of LA Galaxy interest has been disputed.

2 hours to kickoff: In one of their most important matches since the early 2022 World Cup exit, El Tri will be without their heart and soul, goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. "Memo" was forced off the pitch in the 22nd minute of the first leg, replaced by Club America goalkeeper Luis Malagon.

With uncapped Julio Gonzalez of Pumas called up in his place, the remaining available goalkeepers have a combined four total caps to their name, with three of those belonging to Malagon. It seems likely that Malagon will start today, but whoever gets the nod, the absence of legendary Ochoa is a massive loss for El Tri.

His leadership has been relegated to the social media world, where he posted, "In our house, with our fans, we will turn it around!!! Together until the last minute!!!”

Mexico vs Honduras lineups, team news

Mexico suffered an injury blow in the first leg, with veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa forced to withdraw from the squad with a leg injury. He was replaced by uncapped Pumas goalkeeper Julio Gonzalez, leaving the options in net for El Tri extremely thin.

It remains to be seen whether Jaime Lozano will ring the changes from the disappointing defeat in Honduras, or if he will stick to his starters and trust them to turn it around.

One player who could be at risk of being dropped is Orbelin Pineda, who started in the first leg but was hauled off at halftime in favor of Uriel Antuna. It felt unlikely that in-form 22-year-old striker Santiago Gimenez, who has 15 goals in 15 games for Feyenoord this season, would come out, but he's indeed dropped for Henry Martin up top.

Mexico starting lineup (4-3-3): Malagon (GK) — J. Sanchez, Montes, J. Vazquez, Gallardo — E. Alvarez, Chavez — Antuna, E. Sanchez, H. Lozano — Martin.

Mexico subs (12): J.A. Rodriguez (GK), J. Gonzalez (GK), Araujo, Angulo, Romo, Pineda, Huerta, Cordova, Quinonez, Alvarado, Jimenez, Gimenez.

It's hard to imagine Honduras head coach Reinaldo Rueda changing much from their triumph on Friday at home. Standout players from that match include midfield duo Jorge Alvarez and Deybi Flores, with the latter winning all six of his tackles defensively, clogging up the middle of the field.

Bookings to Rigoberto Rivas, Joseph Rosales, and goal scorer Anthony Lozano in the first leg mean they are at risk of picking up an accumulation suspension with another caution at any point through the rest of the Nations League.

Honduras starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Menjivar (GK) — Najar, Maldonado, Vega, Rosales — Flores, J. Alvarez — Rivas, E. Rodriguez, Palma — A. Lozano.

Honduras subs (12): Licona (GK), Facusse (GK), Santos, Rivas, Nunez, Garcia, Pinto, Pineda, Lopez, Acosta, Rochez, Elis.

How to watch Mexico vs Honduras

  • Date: Tuesday, November 21
  • Time: 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT
  • USA Streaming (English): Paramount+
  • USA TV/Streaming (Spanish): UniMas, TUDN; Fubo USA, TUDN app, Univision NOW
  • Canada TV/Streaming: OneSoccer; Fubo Canada.

English language broadcasts of the entire CONCACAF Nations League, with the exception of USMNT matches, can be found in the United States exclusively on CBS streaming service Paramount+.

A Spanish language broadcast is available in the United States via UniMas and TUDN, both of which can be streamed on Fubo.

In Canada, the match can be found on OneSoccer, which is available to stream on Fubo.

Mexico vs Honduras betting odds, lines

  Mexico
win		 Draw Honduras
win		 Both teams
to score Y / N		 Over / Under
3 goals		 MEX
-2		 HON
+2
DraftKings
(USA)		 -650 +600 +1100 +160 / -235 -110 / -135 -120 -120

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.