2022-23 Concacaf Nations League A — Group Stage Canada vs. Honduras March 28, 2023 at 8 p.m. ET BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980
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For the first time since the 2022 World Cup, the Canadian men's national team is back on home soil. Last time they appeared at Toronto's BMO Field, they qualified for said World Cup with a 4-0 win over Jamaica; this time, John Herdman and co. will aim to continue that good fortune when they take on Honduras. This contest is the final match of Canada's Concacaf Nations League A group stage campaign. Thanks to Saturday night's comfortable 2-0 win over Curaçao, they find themselves in solid standing in Group C, and therefore in pole position to advance to the Nations League's final four in Las Vegas. After three matches, Canada have won twice and lost once -- as have Honduras -- but the Canadians' superior plus-five goal differential gives them an edge. Technically, all they need is a draw on Tuesday to secure first place in the group.
| Pos. | Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts. |
| 1. | Canada | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 6 |
| 2. | Honduras | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 6 |
| 3. | Curaçao | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 3 |
Lineup questions linger for Herdman's Canada
With two games played in quick succession over this window, John Herdman will be managing his squad carefully. The lineup he started against Curaçao was likely the strongest possible for that game, considering Alistair Johnston's suspension and a recent injury to Tajon Buchanan. Against Honduras, Johnston will almost certainly slot back in on the right side of defence, but the question will be where exactly: on the edge of a back three, or in a flat back four? Johnston has been playing exclusively as an out-and-out right-back at Celtic recently, but he said Monday the transition back to right centre-back wouldn't be a problem. "Coming back here, it's an enjoyable spot," he said. "I enjoy the freedom it gives me, especially playing with some of the talent we have out wide, when I get to come from deep, often you're unmarked because they're so worried about the Alphonso Davies and the Tajon Buchanans of the world." Canada played, essentially, a 3-5-2 in Curaçao, with Richie Laryea and Davies as wingbacks flanking a three-man midfield, behind Cyle Larin and Jonathan David up top. That shape seemed to work well; Herdman might do well to continue with a trio in midfield, though he might opt to put Atiba Hutchinson in the mix. Against a side like Honduras that can be devastating in transition, it seems unlikely Herdman would sacrifice Laryea's fullback abilities on the right for a more fully attack-minded wingback like Buchanan. Davies could perhaps push forward if just two are left in midfield, with Sam Adekugbe playing on the left. At the back, the trio of Derek Cornelius, Steven Vitória, and Scott Kennedy did well on Saturday; at least one of those three will probably remain in the XI, although Vitória will miss out due to a card accumulation suspension. If Johnston returns to play on the right of the back three, that would solve Saturday's problem of having two left-footed players (Cornelius and Kennedy) in the trio, which was occasionally an issue when playing out of the back. From there, the question becomes how Herdman uses his bench. Although he definitely had influence on the squad management during Saturday's game via prematch discussions, his touchline ban meant Mauro Biello made substitutions in Curaçao. Buchanan, if not starting, may play a larger role than the 12 minutes he played last match. Aside from him, several players who didn't feature in that game could be in line for an appearance. The Curaçao game felt like a better situation for Dominick Zator or Victor Loturi to debut, but it wouldn't be surprising to see either given an opportunity on home soil -- particularly Loturi, whom Canada may want to cap tie.Honduras remain a threat to cause problems
Canada have won their last three games at BMO Field, and have gone undefeated in their last 22 -- dating back to 2010. Only six of those 22 unbeaten games were draws, but two of them happened to be against Honduras. In fact, the last time Les Rouges failed to win in Toronto was the opening match of the final stage in World Cup Qualifying, which they drew 1-1 with the Hondurans in a somewhat disappointing first step in the Octagon. Honduras have always been a tricky opponent for Canada, and although they may no longer occupy the fearsome place in the Canadian soccer consciousness that they did after the 8-1 game in 2012, some anxiety lingers around this particular foe. Canada's all-time record against the Hondurans is eight wins, seven draws, and 12 losses. Last time they met was in the reverse fixture of this very Nations League group stage, back in June. That game, played on ground more resembling a northern Ontario wetland than a football pitch, was an ugly one for Canada, who lost 2-1 and saw two players -- plus John Herdman -- sent off. Their prior trip to San Pedro Sula, during World Cup Qualifying, was more successful, as Canada won 2-0 to expunge some of their demons from that venue. The current Honduran side, led by manager Diego Vásquez since April 2022, features plenty of familiar faces. Forward Romell Quioto of CF Montréal is the main focal point of the attack, alongside Brest star Alberth Elis and Anthony Lozano of Cádiz. Last week, Honduras played El Salvador in a friendly and won 1-0 playing a likely similar lineup to what they'll deploy against Canada. "Predominantly they've been a 4-2-4, 4-4-2 team under the new coach," Herdman told reporters Monday. "But he shifted into a back five, and we anticipate they'll be coming out with a back five. They're absolute killers in transition -- with Quioto, there's not many players, outside some of the lads I've got, as good in that moment in Concacaf. I've got a feeling they'll be patient; the last time they were here they were very patient, very stubborn, hard to break down. They really nullified our flank play." This side is most dangerous on the counter-attack, with a great deal of pace from Quioto in particular, and if Canada's defensive line gets caught too far upfield the Hondurans may be able to get in behind. It was a ball over the top to Quioto into space behind Canada's line that led to the first goal in their most recent meeting and the second goal came from a counter-attack. "I know what he brings, he knows what I bring as well," Johnston said of his former CF Montréal teammate Quioto. "He's going to try and get in my head a bit, stay out wide. He'll do that lazy winger thing where he doesn't really track back, just waiting on that moment to counter-attack, so we know what to expect ... He got the better of us down in Honduras, so I think it's my turn, our turn, to give him a bit of his own medicine back." Never an easy out, Honduras will pose the next challenge for Canada as it grows into its post-World Cup identity.Continue reading...