Georgie Welcome bolsters Honduras attack as Carlo Costly ruled out with injury

Welcome replaces Costly for Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Forward Georgie Welcome was called up to replace injured forward Carlo Costly in Honduras’ 23-man preliminary World Cup roster.

Midfielder Roger Espinoza of Major League Soccer’s Kansas City Wizards and Honduras-based winger Danilo Turcios also were included Monday by coach Reinaldo Rueda. Forward Jerry Bengtson, the top scorer in the Honduran league, and defender Roger Rojas were omitted.

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 Vaslui, fractured his right foot in a Romanian league match Thursday and will be sidelined for six weeks.

The Catrachos leave Friday for a training camp in Germany, then moves to Austria on May 25. They will play exhibition against Belarus (May 27), South Korea (May 29), Azerbaijan (June 2) and Romania (June 5), then leave for South Africa on June 8.

In the World Cup for the first time since 1982, Honduras is grouped with Chile, Spain and Switzerland. Rueda is suspended for the match against Chile because of went on the field during a previous game, and assistant Alexis Mendoza will be in charge.

The roster:

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

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

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

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