The Canadian men’s national team ran riot Tuesday night at Toronto FC’s BMO Field, cruising past Honduras by a 4-1 scoreline to secure their spot in the Concacaf Nations League semifinals this June as Group C’s (League A) first-place team.
Les Rouges, who had already qualified for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup, needed a win or a draw in their de-facto homecoming since making a historic trip to the FIFA 2022 World Cup. Meanwhile, Los Catrachos must settle for a Gold Cup spot after slotting second in their regional group.
Canada’s two-headed forward duo of Cyle Larin and Jonathan David made the difference, just as they did in last Saturday’s 2-0 win at Curaçao. They helped stake a 3-0 lead by the 49th minute, as Larin scored both via combination play with Toronto midfielder Jonathan Osorio and from a corner kick before David cleaned up a rebound off former New England Revolution winger Tajon Buchanan's cross.
Honduras clawed one back in the 73rd minute when striker Jorge Benguché flicked a corner kick to the far post, having beaten former CF Montréal defender Alistair Johnston in the air. Yet comeback hopes were firmly squashed in the 86th minute when, for good measure, Osorio capped a swift move down the right side when combining with TFC teammate Ayo Akinola.
With goals flowing from beginning to end, it mattered little that Larin's 42nd-minute missed penalty kick denied the former Orlando City SC star a first-half hat trick.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Canada, after topping Concacaf qualifying during the 2022 World Cup cycle, are in hot pursuit of their first trophy since lifting the 2000 Gold Cup; head coach John Herdman has stated as much. Within that framework, they’re now two Nations League games away – to be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas – from potentially turning that into a reality. Canada are firmly an A-tier side regionally and should be viewed as a contender.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Cyle Larin’s opener eight minutes in alleviated tensions and ensured a decisive night awaited the hosts.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Jonathan Osorio sure loves playing at BMO Field. The Toronto FC homegrown midfielder had 1g/1a, reinforcing how crucial the 30-year-old remains as the 2026 World Cup cycle begins.
Next Up
- CAN: To be announced
- HON: To be announced
