The Jorge Luis Pinto era is underway for the Honduran national team, but there was no win for the new manager in his debut on Wednesday.
Honduras lost to Venezuela 3-2 in a friendly in San Pedro Sula to open a key year for the hosts, and Pinto's squad featured three current MLS players on the night.
Venezuela jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the road, courtesy of goals from Richard Blanco, Arquimedes Figuera, and substitute Edder Farias. However, Honduras tried to mount a comeback in the second half, as they grabbed their first goal in the 80th minute through Anthony Lozano, before Juan Pablo Montes' goal cut the deficit to one in second half stoppage time.
Two Houston Dynamo players, Boniek Garcia and Luis Garrido, started the match for Los Catrachos, and both players were substituted out in the second half. Another MLS player, Sporting Kansas City midfielder Jorge Claros, entered the game at the break and played the second half.
The two countries will meet for another friendly next Wednesday, to be played in Venezuela. Meanwhile, in March, Honduras will face French Guiana in a playoff to try to get into this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup, a tournament they haven't missed since 2002.
