CHICAGO — Clint Dempsey flubbed a backheel five minutes in, Honduras pounced on it and the United States fell behind early for the second time in four days.

"Here we go again," U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra thought.

Only this time, for the first time in 24 years, the Americans came from behind to win a World Cup qualifier.

Landon Donovan converted a penalty kick in the 43rd minute and Bocanegra scored on a diving header off Dempsey's knock-down header in the 68th last night for a key 2-1 victory over Honduras.

"If we don't respond and win this game, we're going to be in a bad position. Now we're halfway through, in second place," Donovan said. "Right now we're in good position."

Seeking its sixth straight World Cup berth, the United States (3-1-1) is second in the final round of North and Central American qualifying with 10 points, two behind Costa Rica (4-1), which won 3-2 at Trinidad and Tobago.

El Salvador (1-1-2) is third with five points following a 2-1 victory over visiting Mexico, and Honduras (1-2-1) is fourth with four points, one ahead of Mexico (1-3) and two in front of Trinidad (0-2-2).

The top three nations qualify for next year's 32-nation field in South Africa, and the No. 4 team goes to a playoff against the fifth-place team in South America for another berth. After going to the Confederations Cup to play Italy, Brazil and Egypt, the U.S. resumes qualifying at Mexico on Aug. 12.

"I think our performances the first five games haven't been great — we've been OK," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said, "but the positive is we're still second and we haven't yet reached our potential."

The United States won a qualifier after trailing for the first time since beating Trinidad 2-1 at Fenton, Mo., on May 15, 1985. It has lost just one home qualifier in 24 years, 3-2 to Honduras in September 2001 at Washington, D.C.

Honduras took a 1-0 lead when Wilson Palacios picked up Dempsey's bad backheel and dished off to Carlos Costly, whose left-footed shot beat Howard from 22 yards.