However, Mexico controlled possession for the most part of a scoreless first half, creating a handful of scoring opportunities.
The first one came early for El Tri.
Left wing Andrés Guardado sent a left-footed shot from about 20 meters wide left in the fifth minute and Mexico had another clear shot in the 31st minute when Barrera tried to bring down a Guardado pass with his chest inside the six-yard box. He couldn't gain full control of the ball and Valladares scooped the ball before Guardado could pounce.
Honduras continued to defend its territory, absorbing some of Mexico's attack while sealing off space. Mexico pushed forward hoping to break the Honduran defense.
"That's what we expected," Mexico coach José Manuel de la Torre said. "Honduras was a very organized team that was always very attentive to closing our space one way or another looking for a counter attack to try and cause us harm. Little by little we kept finding a way."
De la Torre repeated a tactic that worked against Guatemala in the quarterfinals, inserting forward Aldo de Nigris for Guardado in the 53rd minute.
De Nigris, who had scored in three of four previous games all as a substitute, again was dangerous, heading just over the crossbar in the 68th minute off a Barrera corner kick.
Barrera had an opportunity of his own when he sent a right-footed blast from about 25 meters a minute earlier. Valladares punched the ball high and it fell on top of the crossbar before bouncing onto the top of the net.
Mexico continued to push, looking for a breakthrough goal.
"Chicharito," who ran through the penalty area unmarked to just outside the six, headed a Barrera free kick just wide of the right post in the 74th minute.
Honduras also pushed its attack late in the game, often wasting is opportunities with botched corner kicks or offside runs. Roger Espinoza had the Catrachos' best chance in the 90th, hitting a right-footed drive from a distance that Mexican keeper Alfredo Talavera tipped over the bar.
"I think we did important things, interesting things throughout the game," said Honduras coach Luis Fernando Suarez. "We lost the focus we had during the first 90 minutes once the extra period began and they scored the first goal. The team had to change and that gave them an advantage."
Giovani Dos Santos appeared to have the winning opportunity on a Honduran turnover at midfield, but after driving alone against Valladares, his attempt went wide in the 88th.
It appeared Valladares got enough of the ball to change its trajectory, but television replays were inconclusive.
"I crossed it too much," Dos Santos said. "At the last moment I had too many things running through my mind and I shot it wide."
Honduras, which finished with 10 men after Espinoza was sent off late in the second extra period for yellow-card accumulation, had threats of its own as regulation expired.
Besides Espinoza's drive, Omar Chavez collided with Talavera for a high ball in the first minute of injury time, the last chance for either team before heading to extra time.
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
