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Carlos Costly scored twice to help Honduras beat Mexico 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier, the second time they have beaten Sven-Goran Eriksson's team at home in six months.

Costly's burly striking partner Carlos Pavon, who scored a hat-trick when Honduras beat Mexico by the same score in a qualifier eight years ago and has been recalled at the age of 35, added the third.

Honduras have four points from three games in the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifiers, played as a six-team mini league, and are third. Mexico are fourth with three.

The defeat meant that former England manager Eriksson's future will once again be the subject of speculation.

The top three sides qualify for South Africa 2010 and the fourth plays off against the fifth team from South America for another place.

Pressure on the Swede had lifted with a convincing 2-0 win over Costa Rica on Saturday but the respite lasted only 17 minutes when Costly, who plays for English Championship (second division) side Birmingham City, slipped the ball past Guillermo Ochoa.

Mexico's predicament worsened when Pavon, standing in for the injured David Suazo, chested down Mauricio Sabillon's pass to add the second two minutes before half-time.

Mexico lost their composure and only managing to test Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares in the 56th minute when he saved Carlos Vela's shot.

Costly, who scored twice against Mexico in a 2-1 win at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2007, made it 3-0 in the 79th minute with a left-foot shot from the edge of the area.

Nery Castillo pulled one back with a penalty three minutes later and Pavon nearly added a fourth in injury-time when his shot was saved by Ochoa.

Mexico lost to Honduras in a previous stage of the competition last October at the same stadium and only sneaked into the final round on goal difference from Jamaica, who also beat them.

Mexico have yet to win a competitive match away in five attempts under the Swede.

"In the first half they were ruthless, they had two chances and converted both," said Mexico midfielder Andres Guardado.

Teenage striker Jozy Altidore scored a hat-trick as the United States beat Trinidad and Tobago 3-0.

Spain-based Altidore opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a smart side-foot at the back-post after good work down the left from Brian Ching and Landon Donovan.

Trinidad and Tobago never looked confident at the back and they fell further behind in the 71st minute.

Donovan, revelling in a deeper role wide on the left, produced some clever work down the flank and then slipped the ball into the path of Altidore, who side-stepped a defender before confidently firing home.

A minute from the end, an unmarked Michael Bradley set up Altidore whose low shot crept under the body of Trinidad keeper Clayton Ince.

The 19-year-old Altidore became the youngest player to score a hat-trick for the US.

Costa Rica stayed on course for a third successive World Cup appearance with a 1-0 win over El Salvador despite a missed penalty.

Andy Furtado, scorer of two goals in a 2-0 win over Honduras in February, won the penalty in the 26th minute and took the kick himself only to see his effort saved by Miguel Montes.

Playmaker Walter Centeno, 34, finally broke through for the hosts when he headed in Carlos Hernandez's cross in the 69th minute of his 127th international.

El Salvador, missing playmaker Eliseo Quintanilla through suspension, had their best effort just before the penalty when Julio Martinez headed against the post.

The win put Costa Rica second in the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifiers, which is played as a six-team mini-league. The Ticos have six points from three games, one behind leaders the United States.

El Salvador, whose last World Cup appearance was in 1982, are fifth with two points.

Reuters