It’s not an exaggeration to call it the most important game played on Canadian soil in a long time.
Canada resumed its World Cup qualification campaign last week with a 1-0 win over Cuba in Havana. That result, coupled with Honduras’ shocking 2-0 loss to Panama at home, means the Canadians can take charge of their round robin group with a victory against the Hondurans Tuesday night in Toronto.
Tuesday programming alert: Watch Canada host Honduras in a World Cup qualifying match from Toronto live on Sportsnet One on June 12. Coverage starts at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
Canada and Panama sit atop the group with three points apiece, ahead of winless Cuba and Honduras. The top two teams in the round robin advance to the final round of World Cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region.
After Tuesday’s tilt, Canada plays Panama home and away in September. It closes out the group against Cuba on Oct. 12 in Toronto and on the road in Honduras four days later.
Another victory would give Canada six points and a bit of breathing room heading into the two-month break. It would also keep Honduras, the group favourite, at zero points and hand Canada a major advantage going forward.
“It’s going to be massive for us, we don’t want to go into the next two months with any regrets of what could have been if we’d won maximum points,” Canadian defender David Edgar said.
No doubt the Canadian players enter Tuesday evening’s contest with a spring in their step, but coach Stephen Hart warns that Honduras will prove a tough challenge despite their recent setback.
“They’re a wounded animal but it’s one game, they’ve lost one game. OK, it’s a home game, but I think Honduras has too much experience to be desperate,” Hart said.
After the win in Cuba spirits were high amongst the Canadian players. Hart, though, made sure they understood that it was only one win and that there are five games remaining in this round robin.
“(I told them) the usual stuff. Enjoy the moment for a couple of hours and then understand that you’ve achieved nothing. We’ve achieved nothing,” Hart said.
Hart told reporters after Monday’s practice that his team is injury-free, so expect a similar lineup to the one used in Havana, with one notable exception. Lars Hirschfeld earned a red card for handling the ball outside of the box, and as a result the Canadian goalkeeper must serve a one-game suspension.
With Hirschfeld unavailable backup Milan Borjan will start against Honduras. Borjan was called into action in the Cuba game after Hirschfeld’s ejection.
“It was difficult because I didn’t warm up or anything, it was a tough situation to come in on,” Borjan said. “But the guys gave me the confidence, the coaches they gave me confidence, so it was good.”
Despite the enforced change, Hart is not worried.
“New goalkeeper, different name,” Hart said. “Other than that, the players wouldn’t be picked if I didn’t think they could do the job.”
While Cuba looked to use their quickness on the counter-attack, Hart called Honduras an athletic side with great technical ability.
“They have some good wide play and of course (Carlo) Costly up front is a big man and is a handful,” Hart stated.
Atiba Hutchinson came on as a second-half substitute in Havana despite continuing to be bothered by a knee injury. The PSV Eindhoven midfielder said swelling of the knee could prevent him from playing against Honduras.