SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Defending champion Honduras will take on host Costa Rica in the final of the UNCAF Copa Centroaericana on Sunday.

The Hondurans overcame upstart Belize in one semifinal, 1-0, on Friday night, while the Ticos stopped El Salvador by the same score at Estadio Nacional.

El Salvador, which lost for the first time in the tournament after playing three group draws, will take on Belize, which will play its fifth game in 10 days, in the third-place match in an earlier encounter on Sunday. All four semifinals already had qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will be hosted in the United States from July 7-28. Panama, which defeated Guatemala in the fifth-place game on Friday, also booked a spot as the fifth and final Central American side in the Gold Cup.

Second-half substitute Rodney Wallace, who plays for the Portland Timbers (Major League Soccer), struck for the lone goal in the 72nd minute for the Costa Ricans in the second game of the doubleheader.

In the first game on Friday night, Belize certainly made Honduras sweat, battling Los Catrachos closely until right back Bryan Beckeles scored in the 67th minute. Beckeles made his way into the penalty area and blasted a shot that beat goalkeeper Woodrow West for his first international goal.

Belize tried to equalize in the waning minutes as Elroy Smith came close as his free kick was cleared out of bounds for a corner kick by the Honduran defense.

Source: Tropigol