The pre-World Cup friendly, England (Inglaterra) vs Honduras, will be played this Saturday, June 7, 2014 (1:45 PM Pacific) at the Sun Life Stadium. The final game of England’s preparations for the FIFA Brazil 2014 World Cup campaign sees a meeting in Miami against Honduras.
With both sides involved in the competition in Brazil, the game will provide a competitive test as the two mangers attempt to confirm their best starting XI’s in their own minds.
After England drew 2-2 with Ecuador, many questions will need answering from the perspective of Roy Hodgson. While the result was less than satisfactory, Hodgson fielded a much changed line-up which was more for experimental purposes than anything else. With an injury for Oxlade-Chamberlain putting a dampener on proceedings, and the Raheem Sterling red card, the game won’t exactly be viewed as overly productive in the build up, England will be hoping for a very different outcome this time around.
Sterling’s dismissal will not affect his involvement heading forward, but he will be denied another opportunity to prove his worth ahead of an opening contest with Italy on June 14.
Honduras have suffered three defeats in five friendlies in their build-up to the tournament, and the rank outsiders will need some kind of miracle to progress from their group which contains France, Ecuador and Switzerland.
England Team News
Oxlade-Chamberlain certainly misses out having had it confirmed that medial knee ligament damage will keep him out for at least 2 weeks. Sterling has a one game ban for his altercation with Antonio Valencia, but will be available for the opener against Italy.
Ross Barkley was lauded in the media for his impact against Ecuador, despite the public downplaying of his impact by Hodgson. He will be hoping for another chance to impress. Rooney scored the 39th goal of his international career to move within eight of Bobby Charlton’s record, and he will be looking to add to this against a side that England should win against convincingly.
Honduras Team News
Honduras have lost Arnold Peralta through injury, the Rangers midfielder will miss out with a thigh problem. Premier League experience comes in the shape of Maynor Figueroa, Wilson Palacios and Roger Espinoza. The manager is called Luis Suarez, and the Colombian will need all the magic of his Uruguayan namesake to be able to coax any kind of performance from his team, who mustered just 1 point from their group games 4 years ago.
England vs Honduras Prediction
Honduras provide perhaps the weakest opposition England have faced in the last 3 games, and now it is business time, they should comfortably emerge victorious in Miami. With Gerrard coming back into the side, England will be driven to the finish post as the long time rivals of Italy loom on the horizon.
Prediction: England 3-0 Honduras
England vs Honduras TV Schedule
The England vs Honduras match will be televised on beIN Sports at 1:45 PM Pacific.
