Canada can’t take last-place Honduras lightly in World Cup qualifying

Will probably be prime in opposition to backside when Canada faces Honduras in enemy territory Thursday night time in World Cup qualifying, however the males’s nationwide staff is aware of higher than to let the present standings go to its head.

Canada arrived in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, first among the many eight CONCACAF groups combating for 3 computerized berths to Qatar 2022. The Canadians have 16 factors by means of eight qualification matches, the Hondurans have three. And whereas the unbeaten Canadian staff has galvanized its nation, Honduras is seeking to earn again among the religion of its fan base.

Canadian coach John Herdman isn’t taking the problem Honduras poses frivolously.

There might be an emotional and psychological battle to Thursday night time’s continuing. Honduras is determined to maintain its World Cup dream alive. Canada is conscious of the humiliation earlier iterations of the nationwide staff have encountered on Honduran turf, particularly an 8-1 defeat in October 2012, on an evening when all of the guests wanted was to keep away from shedding to maintain their World Cup hopes intact.

The realities of enjoying on the street in CONCACAF — the warmth, the hostile crowds, subpar discipline situations, the officiating — may all come into play on Thursday. “The battle, the combat, that’s going to be entrance and centre for a minimum of the primary 20 minutes,” Herdman stated.

However to chalk a consequence as much as mindset alone can be a disservice to a Honduran staff Herdman is aware of has been unfortunate at occasions on this qualification spherical. The Hondurans might need punched above their weight in tying Canada 1-1 at BMO Discipline in September, however they left the Canadians rueing missed alternatives on the time and is usually a totally different staff at residence.

“They've the third-highest (anticipated targets) behind Canada and Mexico at residence, which helps you to know that they produce high quality probabilities of their matches ... They common 17 pictures at residence, they usually’ve performed good groups at residence,” Herdman stated. “They usually’ve obtained the most effective statistics in transition in the entire of CONCACAF.”

One or two passes from Honduras and Canada’s backline may rapidly be below menace. And if the Honduran strike pressure, together with Bordeaux’s Alberth Elis, Cadiz’s Anthony Lozano and CF Montreal’s Romell Quioto, is on its sport, that menace can simply grow to be punishing.

Nulling it must be Canada’s first precedence, as a result of alternatives to trigger issues of their very own will open up as the sport progresses. The final 4 targets Honduras conceded got here after the 77th minute. In these matches, Honduras was on the verge of a win, then a tie, earlier than these late collapses.

“It’s believing that we will rating and figuring out that you simply may not win the sport within the first 10 minutes, it is likely to be the final 10 minutes, however it's a must to keep within the combat, believing that at any second we will win this match,” Herdman stated.

For all of the respect Canada is exhibiting the Hondurans, it goes into Thursday seeking to take all three factors.

“You’re just one sport away from it being a catastrophe and swiftly you’re sitting third, and even fourth, within the group,” Herdman stated.

A loss wouldn’t be close to the catastrophe Canada skilled in 2012. Falling a pair locations within the standings would nonetheless depart Canada, on the very least, ready to nab a last-gasp playoff for a World Cup spot. It exhibits simply how far this staff has come that such a drop-off might be thought of disastrous.

However Canada a lot prefers the view from up prime, so it gained’t overlook the staff on the backside.