Canada books a spot in CONCACAF Nations League final after 4-1 victory over Honduras

Cyle Larin and Jonathan Osorio score twice for the undefeated Canadians in Toronto

Canada achieved a dominant 4-1 win against Honduras on Tuesday in Toronto and secured a spot in the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League championship in Las Vegas. Cyle Larin scored two early goals while Jonathan David and Jonathan Osorio added extra goals in the second half. Ismael Kone shone in midfield, and Jorge Benguchi scored Honduras’ consolation goal.

Canadian coach John Herdman was confident about his team’s current state, stating that this is the first time Canada has made it to the Nations League final, and he has a group capable of winning it. Canada finished atop Group C with eleven points, three points ahead of Honduras, and the Canadian men will face Panama on June 16 in the semifinals of the competition in Las Vegas.

The CONCACAF Nations League has 41 teams split into three tiers: League A (12 teams), B (16), and C (13). The final four will feature the group winners of League A (Canada, Mexico, Panama, and the United States), which will run from June 15-18 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Canada has played against Panama 12 times, winning only four games and losing six, with two games ending in draws. The last meeting between Canada and Panama occurred in March 2022 during Canada’s World Cup qualifications, with Panama winning 1-0. Canada had already qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar.

The CONCACAF Nations League was launched in 2019 and is the first tournament of its kind for national teams in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Honduras finished in third place, while Costa Rica ended in fourth place.

Canada establishes control early on in the game

In the game against Honduras, Canada dominated from the beginning to the end, with 13,626 people present at BMO Field. Canada played fluid attacking football, and Alphonso Davies was the chief creator in the match.

The Canadian team took the lead from the start, with Cyle Larin scoring in the ninth minute with a superb pass from Osorio that split the Honduras defence. Another of Davies’ attacks earned Canada a penalty later on, but Larin missed this opportunity.

After the interval, Jonathan David and Jonathan Osorio scored two goals in quick succession, with the latter scoring after an excellent pass from Ayo Akinola. Honduras scored with a header from Benguchi after a corner, but Osorio swiftly responded with his second goal of the game, securing Canada’s victory.

In conclusion, Canada played an excellent match with strong attacking play throughout. They will now face Panama in the semifinals on June 16 at the CONCACAF Nations League Championship.

Credit: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/fifa-canada-soccer-concacaf-honduras-march-28-1.6793507

ENND