MEXICO CITY, Nov 12: Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored two goals and set up the third as Mexico beat Honduras 3-0 on Sunday to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals.

Blanco fired Mexico ahead in the 66th minute, set up the second for Juan Francisco Palencia nine minutes later and completed the win by converting an 80th minute penalty.

The third goal came five minutes after Mexico’s Johan Rodriguez and Honduran captain Amado Guevara were sent off following a clash in an off-the-ball incident.

Mexico, who joined Costa Rica and the United States as the CONCACAF region’s representatives at the World Cup, had been on the brink of elimination after losing to the U.S., Costa Rica and Honduras early in the final stage of the qualifying competition.

Blanco only returned to the team in July after a year’s absence, the result of a brutal tackle by a Trinidad player during a preliminary qualifier last year.

Both their best first half efforts fell to Blanco.

In the 33rd minute, he volleyed into the side netting after the Honduran defence missed a cross into the area. Two minutes later, an Alberto Garcia Aspe free kick found Blanco in the area but he headed wide.

Guevara had Honduras’s only first half chance but his 25- metre shot did not trouble Oscar Perez in the Mexico goal.

Honduras came out for the second half in a more aggressive mood and nearly took the lead in the 53rd minute when Carlos Pavon, who scored a hat-trick in the last meeting of the two teams, shot wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Four minutes later, the same player had a free kick deflected wide.

The tension grew as Honduras continued to press forward until, with Mexico look increasingly jittery and the crowd becoming edgy, Blanco broke through.

A long cross from the left by Rafael Garcia was headed down at the far post by Johan Rodriguez into the path of Blanco, who drove the ball home from near the penalty spot.

Nine minutes later, Palencia added the second after a neat exchange of passed with Blanco on the edge of the penalty area.

In the 80th minute, Blanco was hauled down by goalkeeper Noel Valladares as he chased a rebound and he got up to convert the penalty himself.

Sunday’s collated results CONCACAF region final round:

In Port of Spain:

Trinidad and Tobago 0 United States 0

In Mexico City:

Mexico 3 Honduras 0

In Kingston:

Jamaica 0 Costa Rica 1.—AFP