MEXICO CITY (AP) -Mexico won Sven-Goran Eriksson's debut as coach, rallying to beat Honduras 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier Wednesday night as Pavel Pardo scored twice in the second half.

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``The team suffered but they played with a lot of will in front of an amazing public,'' Eriksson said.

A former manager of England's national team and Manchester City, Eriksson was hired in June to replace Hugo Sanchez after Mexico's under-23 team failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

Julio Cesar Leon put Honduras ahead in the 35th minute on a free kick that hit the crossbar and bounced into the goal.

Pardo tied it with a shot from outside the penalty area in the 73rd minute, then beat goalkeeper Noel Valladares with a free kick in the 76th.

``We won this game fighting,'' Pardo said. ``But we still have to play better if we want to go all the way.''

Maynor Figueroa of Honduras was ejected in the 77th minute after receiving his second yellow card.

In the group's other match, Jamaica gained a 1-1 tie at Canada. The top two teams in each of the three groups in the North and Central American and Caribbean region.