U17 World Cup: Honduras 5-0 New Caledonia: Los Catrachos keep knockout hopes alive

Honduras registered a commanding 4-0 victory over New Caledonia in their 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup Group E match at the Indira Gandhi Atheltic Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday.

Carlos Mejia (25' and 42'), Joshua Canales (27') and Patrick Palacios (51' and 88') were on the scoresheet for Jose Valladares' side.

Mejia opened the proceedings of the night five minutes from the half-hour mark when he found the back of the net on his nearside from Canales' cross. Canales himself doubled the lead from a vicious freekick, beating the wall with the ball curving into the goal, beating an outstretched Robin Escorne.

New Caledonia who came into the game on the back of a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of France had their confidence dented after the two quick goals for good.

Sidri Wadenges put a ball into the net against the run of play from a cross into the box but the linesman raised the flag on the defender.

Santiago Cabrera helped Mejia make it 3-0 inside the first half when he fed the ball to the playmaker who closed down space from close range and slotted it home.

Patrick Palacios stepped up in the second half to score a brace. First, Axel Gomez' cross was met by the striker as he headed it past the hapless 'keeper.

In the dying embers of the game, Cabrera triggered the Real Espana man who turned out to be the fox in the box whose left-footed first time shot sealed the deal for the men in white and blue.

New Caledonia now travel to Kolkata to face Japan while Honduras will play group leaders France on Saturday in Guwahati itself.