(Updated 8:12am) LONDON - Spain's hopes of becoming the first country to hold the World Cup, European championship and Olympic titles at the same time ended after they lost 1-0 to Honduras.

 

Spain, beaten 1-0 by Japan in their opening Group D match, could not respond to Jerry Bengston's first half goal at St James' Park, Newcastle, and with no points from two matches cannot finish in either of the top two qualifying positions from their group.

 

Bengston stunned Spain with a thundering header in the seventh minute but the Hondurans, who qualified for the Olympics ahead of the United States, rode their luck with the Spanish hitting the woodwork three times.

 

Spain protested strongly after an appeal for a penalty in the final minutes and at the final whistle they surrounded the referee in an animated protest.

A strong Spanish appeal for a penalty was waved away in the final minutes and at the final whistle they surrounded the referee in an animated protest.

Spain's Under-23 team in London featured three players from the senior squad that retained their European title on July 1.

Spain coach Luis Milla, asked if the success of the senior team had put more pressure on his side, said: "Yes it is possible that the pressure did impact on us, but this is a team full of players who compete at the highest level.

"As coaches we have to an analyze why we have been knocked out. We are out of the Olympic Games - but we prepared very well for it. "

"As you can imagine everyone is very sad, everyone is disappointed. We worked well, we played well and put on a good show and we still believe in the way we play and our ideology."

Honduras lost all three group matches in Beijing four years ago but held on after Roger Espinoza's cross from the left was met by Jerry Bengtson who rose superbly above Jordi Alba to power his header past David De Gea.

"It was a tense second half. They had lots of chances and we did well to keep calm when they were threatening," said Bengtson. "It was very hard work but we did well to beat them."

 

Japan, who beat Morocco 1-0 on Sunday, top the group with six points and are through to the last eight. Honduras are second on four points and will go through with a draw against Japan on Wednesday. — Reuters