Honduran police strengthens security for Costa Rica match

TEGUCIGALPA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Honduran police will reinforce the security for a World Cup qualifying match for the country's national soccer team against Costa Rican on Wednesday.

Police commissioner Hector Ivan Mejia said Tuesday that at least 1,000 agents will guard the Olympic stadium of San Pedro Sula, 240km north to Tegucigalpa, where the qualifier takes place.

"We will take care of San Pedro Sula's inhabitants for them to fill the stadium and support the 11 Hondurans who have the responsibility of winning over Costa Rica," Mejia added.

There will be five police cordons at strategic points "to avoid outbreaks and any event attempting against the people to attend the match", Mejia said.

The match starts at 7:30 p.m. local time (0130 GMT) on Thursday.

The police are afraid of disorders done by followers of ousted President Manuel Zelaya, who arrived to San Pedro Sula on Tuesday, during the match

Alfredo Hawit, secretary of the National Soccer Federation of Honduras, said that "the Hondurans and all soccer fans who want to come, do not panic, the situation is not like they said."

"We cannot deny the situation in the country, but it is not to believe we live in a chaos", Hawit added.

Before the fifth date of the qualification, Honduras is in the third place of the group standings with five points, following the United States with seven and Costa Rica with 12.