Sambulá and Juan Carlos Espinoza, to take over the Honduras national football team. With these two coaches in command, Honduras started the elimination round relatively well. They beat Costa Rica at home by score of 5–2. But the results after that first win were negative for the new coaches. Comeback After the defeat suffered by Honduras at the hands of Guatemala (0-1): The sport press, the federation, and soccer fans panicked, they saw another failure on the horizon. Chelato Ucles returned. Rafael Leonardo Callejas offered him the coaching position once more, and Chelato accepted. He was asked if the situation could be restored with the national team facing elimination against Costa Rica. To what Chelato responded "In 33 days much can be done." And that "Is not impossible to win against to Costa Rica." He also added that if he qualified Honduras to the next round, he would be elected president. After having accepted the coaching position, Chelato prepared the team in Miami. He made a series of line up changes, and played a preparation game against Haiti, then headed for San Pedro Sula to face the ‘Ticos.’—In the end; things did not go well for Chelato Ucles and his team. They were eliminated by Costa Rica in the final match. The press blamed Chelato, for dismantling the team with only 33 days left for a crucial match. Chelato on the other hand, blamed the federation and Bora Milutinovic, and the federation blamed the press. After the elimination of Honduras from Germany 2006; Chelato stayed in control of the Honduras. The country did not want to know nothing of soccer, after so much frustration the people retired from the stadiums. Chelato noticed that and quietly prepared the team for next tournament; (Copa UNCAF 2005). For this competition Ucles called a mixture of young and experienced players like: Wilmer Velásquez, and Milton Núñez, as well as; Carlos Moran and Marvin Chávez among others. In this tournament Chelato did a lot better than in the previous one; taking Honduras to the championship game against Costa Rica. He lost the final through penalty kicks, but qualified to the Gold Cup 2005 nonetheless. In the 2005 Gold Cup played in the United States, Honduras beat teams like: Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica, arriving at semifinal instances. Nevertheless, the Catrachos were defeated by the United States by score of 2–1, finishing in third place of