Grenada taste defeat in opener, Panama rebound to earn point
HOUSTON, Texas, CMC – Unlucky Grenada endured a rocky start to their CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign when they suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Honduras at the BBVA Stadium here Tuesday night.
The Spice Boys were still in the contest at 1-0 down at half-time through Jerry Bengtson 28th minute strike, but conceded three goals in the second half – including two in the last five minutes – as Edwin Solano (52nd), Johnny Leverón (86th) and Romell Quioto (88th) all scored to leave Honduras convincing winners.
In the other Group D encounter earlier at the same venue, Panama thrice came from a goal behind to earn a thrilling 3-3 draw with guest nation Qatar, and secure a crucial point .
Following a goalless first half, the floodgates opened in the second when Akram Afif put the Asian Cup champions ahead in the 48th.
However, Rolando Blackburn equalised in the 51st with the first of his two goals in eight minutes, the second coming in the 58th after Al Moez Ali had restored Qatar’s lead in the 53rd.
Qatar thought they had gotten the winning goal in the 63rd minute through Hassan Al Haydos until Éric Davis levelled for Panama 11 minutes from the end.
Seeking their first ever Gold Cup victory following their chastening last appearance 10 years ago, Grenada came close to opening the scoring in the 13th minute when Canada-born, United States-based forward Shavon John-Brown put through Jamal Charles only for the resulting strike to skim narrowly wide of the far post.
The tiny Caribbean nation continued to apply pressure, Omar Beckles watching as his close range strike from a corner was cleared off the line by defender Diego Rodriguez in the 25th minute and his header from the recycled ball saved by goalkeeper Luis Lopez.
Moments later, Honduras took the lead courtesy of a howler from UK-born Grenada goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook, who plays in the National League South – the sixth tier of the English football.
He dozed on a back pass and was robbed by Bengtson who easily poked the ball into the back of the nets.
A brilliant through ball then resulted in Solano being put clean through on goal to beat Charles-Cook after the break and Leverón added the third by finishing off a clinical buildup from eight yards.
The game was already over as a contest by the time Quioto produced a carbon copy goal just moments later.