Platini appeals his suspension

UEFA president wants to become FIFA’s top man.

Michel Platini has lodged an appeal with FIFA against a 90-day suspension from world football that’s thwarting his hopes of standing for the presidency.

FIFA’s ethics committee imposed the provisional ban on Thursday after a payment the UEFA president received from the world body became embroiled in a Swiss criminal investigation.

Sepp Blatter, who was also suspended from his role as FIFA president, filed an appeal on Thursday with the organization he had led for 17 years.

UEFA confirmed Saturday to The Associated Press that Platini has also appealed. FIFA’s appeal committee is chaired by Larry Mussenden of Bermuda.

Although Platini’s ban expires before the scheduled Feb. 26 emergency election to succeed Blatter, he’s unlikely to pass integrity checks after the Oct. 26 deadline for the submission of candidacies while suspended.

U.S. falls in Olympic qualifier: The United States lost to Honduras 2-0 in a men’s Olympic soccer qualifier in Sandy, Utah, complicating the Americans’ path to next year’s Rio de Janeiro Games.

Honduras is now set for the Olympics. It got a goal in each half from Alberth Elis to win this semifinal from the group representing North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The U.S. played sloppily for long stretches in the first half and created few scoring chances — with two total shots during the first 45 minutes. Honduras had five total shots and two shots on goal during the half.

The U.S. finally threatened in the 63rd minute on Cameron Carter-Vickers’ header off a corner kick. Honduras goalkeeper Luis Lopez, however, made a diving, one-handed deflection.

The U.S. under-23 team will need to win the thirdplace game Tuesday to advance to play Colombia in a playoff and earn one last shot at the 2016 Olympics.

FIFA banned Michel Platini for 90 days after a payment he received from soccer’s world governing body was mentioned as part of a criminal investigation.