Striker Costly returns to Honduras squad

Veteran Olimpia striker Carlo Costly has returned to the Honduras national squad after a 18-month absence, head coach Jorge Luis Pinto has said.

The 35-year-old quit international football in March 2016 after publicly falling out with Pinto, but the pair have settled their differences, the former Colombia and Costa Rica manager told a press conference on Friday, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Carlo is playing his best football in years. We hope that he can carry on that form for the national team," Pinto said.

"As the head coach, I know what I should do, and he knows what he needs to do on the pitch. We've brought him in to the team at an opportune time."

Honduras are currently fifth in the Concacaf standings with five points, nine points behind leaders Mexico.

The top three teams in the group will clinch a direct berth at next year's World Cup in Russia while the fourth-ranked side will secure a playoff spot.

Honduras squad:

Goalkeepers: Donis Escober (Olimpia), Luis Lopez (Real Espana), Ricardo Canales (Vida).

Defenders: Bryan Beckeles (Necaxa), Maynor Figueroa (Dallas), Henry Figueroa and Felix Crisanto (Motagua), Carlos Sanchez (Honduras Progreso), Jhonny Palacios and Ever Alvarado (Olimpia), Emilio Izaguirre (Al-Fayha, Arabia), Jhonny Leveron (Marathon).

Midfielders: Bryan Acosta (Tenerife, Espana), Jorge Claros (Real Espana), Alexander Lopez (Olimpia), Alfredo Mejia (Xanthi, China), Oliver Morazan and Esdras Padilla (Juticalpa), Sergio Pena (Real Sociedad), Carlos Discua (Motagua), Boniek García (Houston), Juan Delgado (Honduras Progreso)

Forwards: Anthony Lozano (Barcelona B), Rony Martinez (Baoding Yingli Yitong), Alberth Elis and Romnell Quioto (Houston), Carlo Costly (Olimpia), Ovidio Lanza (Juticalpa), Eddie Hernandez (Motagua).

--IANS

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