World Cup qualifiers: Honduras coach says play-off calendar is 'uncaring'

The brief time frame between diversions in the two-legged World Cup qualifier amongst Australia and Honduras has been reprimanded by the last's mentor, Jorge Luis Pinto.

The two matches of the play-off tie are just five days separated.

With no non-stop flights among Honduras and Australia, the two groups confront excursions of around 24 hours.

"It's coldhearted of Fifa to put the dates so close with such a long outing in the middle of them," said Pinto.

The Honduran group will fly from San Pedro Sula to Los Angeles' LAX airplane terminal, which will take about seven hours.

They will then travel to Sydney, which will take almost 15.

Counting exchange time, the whole adventure will take roughly 24 hours and cover 10,866 miles.

In any case, Pinto recommended Honduras might be at leverage playing the primary leg at home.

"We don't need to do two outings that could be destructive to us," he said.

"Australia need to come here and play the diversion and after that go home, and that is all the more tiring."

Honduras achieved the play-offs for the 2018 World Cup having completed fourth in the Concacaf standings, while Australia beat Syria more than two legs to advance from the Asia segment.

The victor of the two-legged play-off will progress to the World Cup finals in Russia next summer.