Soccer: Welcome replaces Costly in Honduras World Cup squad

Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda called up forward Georgie Welcome to replace injured striker Carlo Costly in his 23-man preliminary World Cup squad announced Monday.

Midfielder Roger Espinoza, of Major League Soccer side Kansas City Wizards, and Honduran-based winger Danilo Turcios were also included, while striker Jerry Bengtson - top scorer in the Honduran league - and defender Roger Rojas both missed out.

The final list of players must be submitted to FIFA by June 1. Honduras will face Chile, Spain and Switzerland in World Cup Group H.

Costly, who plays for FC Vaslui, fractured his right foot in a Romanian league match Thursday and will be out for six weeks.

"We're going to give it everything and do all we can to put in a good performance," Rueda said.

The Honduran side leaves for Germany on Friday for a training camp, before moving to Austria on May 25, where the squad will be based until leaving for South Africa on June 8.

In Austria, the team will play friendlies against Belarus (May 27), South Korea (May 29), Azerbaijan (June 2) and Romania (June 5).

Rueda will miss the first match of the World Cup against Chile because of a one-match suspension incurred for invading the pitch during a previous match. His assistant Alexis Mendoza will take temporary charge for the Chile game.

Honduras' squad:

Goalkeepers: Ricardo Canales (Motagua), Noel Valladares (Olimpia), Donis Escober (Olimpia).

Defenders: Victor Bernardez (Anderlecht), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan), Oscar Garcia (Olimpia), Sergio Mendoza (Motagua), Emilio Izaguirre (Motagua), Johnny Palacios (Olimpia), Mauricio Sabillon (Hangzhou Lucheng) Osman Chavez (Platense).

Midfielders: Edgard Alvarez (Bari), Julio Cesar de Leon (Torino), Roger Espinoza (Kansas City Wizards), Amado Guevara (Motagua), Ramon Nunez (Olimpia), Wilson Palacios (Tottenham Hotspur), Hendry Thomas (Wigan) Danilo Turcios (Olimpia).

Forwards: David Suazo (Genoa), Georgie Welcome (Motagua), Carlos Pavon (Real Espana), Walter Martinez (Marathon).

- AP