Switzerland-Honduras End In Scoreless Draw, Both Sides Eliminated From World Cup

Switzerland and Honduras played to an even, 0-0 draw on Friday, leaving Switzerland out of the World Cup.

Switzerland would have advanced to the knockout stage of the competition with a two goal win, but Honduras looked just as likely to get a counter attack goal in Friday’s match, playing the Swiss to a scoreless draw that earned the Catarachos their only point of World Cup 2010.

Honduras has played Switzerland even through the first 45 minute of their Friday match, leaving knockout stage advancement a doubt for the Swiss, with the score tied 0-0.

Switzerland needs a victory over Honduras to move into the final 16, but Honduras counter attack chances – specifically, one generated by Wilson Palacios that nearly earned Gelson Fernandes a red card for a professional foul – have kept the Hondurans close to a goal.

The forwards at Switzerland’s disposal - Frei, N’fuko, Deirdiyok - have goals in them, but having to play a different style of game if they are to advance into the knockout rounds, it remains to be seen whether the Swiss can switch gears.

Honduras, Going Forward: Honduras has two shots on goal in 180 minutes and even fewer legitimate scoring chances. With 36-year-old Carlos Pavón showing his age, David Suazo possibly short on fitness, and Carlo Costly not even in the team, Honduras’s strike force is depleted. They do have Walter Martínez, who has been good for one goal in three during his career, and Amado Guevara has 29 goals for the Catarachos. But these are not Honduras’s planned, primary goal scorers, and against a Switzerland defense that just had its 580 minute World Cup scoreless streak snapped, Honduras’s path to goal is unclear.