THE CANADIAN PRESS

MONTREAL -- It took only 11 minutes of loose play to push Canada's World Cup hopes into a deep hole.

Ramon Nunez scored twice early in the second half as Honduras came from a goal down to defeat Canada 2-1 in a qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup tournament at Saputo Stadium on Saturday night.

Canada, which has made it to the World Cup only once in 1986, has taken only one point from two home matches to start its qualifying group play and now must travel to powerful Mexico for its next match on Wednesday.

"It was lost in the second half," said Canadian captain Paul Stalteri. "We have four games left to play, and even though three of them are away games, we still have a chance."

Adrian Serioux scored four minutes into the match for Canada, which had played Jamaica to a disappointing 1-1 draw in the opening match on Aug. 20 in Toronto.

Honduras, which lost its opening game 2-1 to Mexico, picked up three points for the win over Canada. Mexico leads the group with six points after a 3-0 win Saturday over Jamaica.

As Nunez scored, at least half the crowd of 12,338 erupted in celebration, waving blue and white Honduran flags, while the other half watched in stunned silence.

"It was like being at home," said Honduras coach Reynaldo Rueda. "It was a very important win for us, especially after what happened in Mexico."

It was an entertaining game with chances at both ends despite a bumby pitch torn up with divots after a day of heavy rain.

Canada got exactly the start it wanted when they forced a corner kick in the fourth minute. Patrice Bernier placed a perfect kick to an unmarked Serioux that the central defender headed past goalkeeper Noel Valladares.

More chances followed, but Tomasz Radzinski was bodychecked off a ball near the post and crashed into advertising boards, ripping a deep cut in the small finger of his right hand. Radzinski went for treatment and Canada played seven minutes with 10 men before he was substituted by Ian Hume, who struggled playing on the left side. There was no foul called on the play.

"I think Tomasz's injury really hurt us," said Canadian coach Dale Mitchell. "He was looking sharp on the left side and that was something we wanted to key on."

Dwayne De Rosario looked to be in on a breakaway in the 43rd kinute but it was ruled just offside, and Ali Gerba headed a cross from Stalteri off the post in injury time.

"It was a game of two halves," said Stalteri. "We controlled the first and probably should have had a second and maybe even a third goal.

"It was really disappointing how we came out in the second half -- really flat."

Only two minutes into the second half, Canada turned the ball over at midfield and Nunez pushed a pass to David Suazo and then drilled the return pass from the Wigan midfielder past goalkeeper Lars Hirshfeld.

In the 56th minute, another turnover allowed Suazo to find Nunez alone in front at the edge of the penalty area for the game-winner.

Canada's chances of equalizing were compromised when Bernier was sent off in the 73rd minute after earning his second yellow card in a three-minute span for a tackle from behind on Toronto FC midfielder Adamo Guevara.

Bernier, playing in front of his home crowd, was furious with the Costa Rican officials after the match.

"The second one was a foul, but there's no way it was a yellow card," he said, adding that "the Central American referees are going to be even worse when we play down there."

There were certainly several questionable calls, but when asked if the score reflected the play, Mitchell said "I can't argue with the result, to be honest."

Rob Friend went on for Gerba in the 64th minute and Jim Brennan replaced Hume in the 85th.

Canada had two changes from the 11 that started against Jamaica, with Hirshfeld in for Pat Onstad in goal and Gerba playing for Friend.