Enner Valencia scores 2 more, leads Ecuador to needed win over Honduras

CURITIBA, Brazil (AP) - Ecuador forward Enner Valencia scored twice in a 2-1 comeback victory over Honduras on Friday that kept his team in contention at the World Cup. Ecuador moved into second spot in Group E with a game remaining against group-leading France, which has tallied eight goals and conceded two in a pair of dominating wins.

Honduras took the lead in the 31st minute with its first World Cup goal in 32 years when Carlo Costly latched onto a long ball following a misjudgment from Ecuador defender Jorge Guagua. The goal ended a 511-minute drought that stretched back to the 1982 World Cup.

Valencia equalized three minutes later, tapping in with his left foot from close range after Brayan Beckeles had failed to clear a cross from the right. Honduras applied more of the pressure leading up to halftime and nearly took the lead. A fierce free kick in injury time from Victor Bernardez forced a good save from Ecuador goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez.

Honduras got the ball in the Ecuador net seconds before the break when a Costly header rebounded off the post into the path of Jerry Bengtson, but it was disallowed - apparently for a hand ball. The second half was far less frenzied than the opening 45 minutes and Valencia's winner came in the 65th minute when he out-jumped the Honduras defense to head home a left-sided free kick from Walter Ayovi.

''A very contested match, it was very complicated to deal with the nerves because of everything in play,'' Honduras coach Luis Fernando Suarez said.

Valencia's goals, which take his tournament tally to three, made up for a glaring miss earlier in the match that would have given Ecuador an early lead. He blasted over the Honduras bar when through on goal.

Honduras, which has never won a World Cup match, isn't completely out of contention despite two losses but faces an uphill battle ahead of its last group game against Switzerland, which lost 5-2 to France earlier Friday.

''We still have that possibility, though it is remote and we will fight for it,'' Suarez said.

Honduras lost 3-0 to France in its opener, and Suarez was happier with Friday's performance.

''I think we improved a lot compared with the France match, but we still fell short," he said.

Here's how Ecuador's comeback victory went down:

GALLERY: Best shots from USA 2, Ghana 1

U.S. vs. Ghana

U.S. 2, Ghana 1

John Brooks game winner on a header in the 86th minute of a 2-1 victory over Ghana will go down as one of the most memorable in U.S. World Cup history. It enabled the U.S. to defeat the team that had knocked it out of the previous two World Cups.

The goal was the first by a U.S. substitute player in the history of the World Cup. It came in the waning minutes as the U.S. was desperately trying to survive waves of attacks from Ghana.

U.S. 2, Ghana 1

Brooks' goal put the U.S. atop Group G with Germany, with Ghana and Portugal at the bottom, which is the way things would end up after the round-robin group stage play concluded.

U.S. fans across the globe were overjoyed with the victory, including those in Hermosa Beach, Calif.

Ghana has its work cut out for it, having to face Germany on the heels of Monday's defeat.

Tim Howard celebrates the hard-earned victory.

Jurgen Klinsmann did something his two predecessors couldn't -- defeat Ghana in a World Cup match.

U.S. 2, Ghana 1

Clint Dempsey scored 34 seconds into the match against Ghana, the fastest ever scored by an American in the tournament and the sixth-fastest in World Cup history.

Dempsey' goal made him the first U.S. player to score in three different World Cups.

U.S. 2, Ghana 1

Dempsey used a nifty move to split John Boye and Sulley Muntari, then sent the left-footed shot past goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey, where the ball bounced off the post and in.

The goal came on a low shot and showed the kind of technical flair seldom seen from a squad that typically scores through set pieces.

U.S. 2, Ghana 1

Jozy Altidore suffered a left hamstring injury when he tried to control a long ball in the 21st minute against Ghana. He missed the next two games.

He awaits tests that will determine whether he can return for this World Cup.

If he's unable to continue, the U.S. won't be able to replace him on the roster.

The U.S. faces Portugal Sunday in the hot and humid Amazon rain forest capital of Manaus -- in all likelihood with Altidore.

The U.S. looked punchless on the attack after Altidore was taken off the field in a stretcher.

U.S. 2, Portugal 2

In the first half against Ghana, Clint Dempsey suffered a broken nose after being kicked in the face by the high leg of defender John Boye.

U.S. 2, Portugal 2

Dempsey stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes but never lost consciousness.

The blow to his head didn't appear to be intentional.

Dempsey was taken to the sidelines, where he received treatment while play continued. He returned to the field a few minutes later.

Goaltender Tim Howard was played his usual strong and aggressive game.

Howard punches this ball away from danger.

Sulley Muntari of Ghana was so angry at Jermaine Jones that he almost threw a punch in this exchange.

Ghana's Andre Ayew tied the match in the 82nd minute.

Howard was caught leaning to his left on Ayew's goal. It was set up when Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan flicked a backheel pass to Ayew, who used the outside of his left foot for a powerful shot.

U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard eyes the ball during the match against Ghana.

Ghana's defender Jonathan Mensah vies with U.S. forward Aron Johannsson.

Ghana's forward Asamoah Gyan vies with Tim Howard.

Ghana's goalkeeper Adam Larsen Kwarasey dives for the ball.

Asamoah Gyan of Ghana and Matt Besler of the United States battle for the ball.

Matt Besler of the United States grabs his leg after a challenge. He was removed from the game for precautionary reasons.

U.S. defender Fabian Johnson reacts during the match against Ghana.