SAN PEDRO SULA, HONDURAS – Four years ago, Canada’s players were shaking their heads in embarrassment as they left the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano following an infamous 8-1 loss to Honduras.

On Friday night they were once again shaking their heads, but this time it was because the chance of getting at least a point went begging.

Canada’s nightmare in Central America continued after Romell Quioto’s 50th minute goal for Honduras condemned Canada to a 2-1 loss in a crucial World Cup qualifier.

“We had a good game plan and for the first 15 to 20 minutes we stuck to it,” Canadian midfielder Atiba Hutchinson said. “We really didn’t give up too much in the beginning and we got our chance and we took our chance and got our goal but as the game went on, we lost our shape.”

Unlike the last time these two teams played here, though, there was hope that a famous Canadian result was possible when Manjrekar James headed in Scott Arfield’s corner kick in the 35th minute to give Canada the lead after a prolonged spell of action that saw the Reds working hard to frustrate Honduras’ creative players.

Canada now goes into next Tuesday’s game against El Salvador at Vancouver’s BC Place needing a win by as many goals as possible and hope Mexico, who has already qualified for the next round, can grant the Reds a favour and do the same vs. Honduras at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca.

“You don’t stop believing until the mathematics tell you [that you] have to,” defender David Edgar said. “We’ve just got to keep believing and it’s night and day from last time.”

Canada stuck to the game plan well of trying to close down Honduras and was also saved on a few occasions by goalkeeper Milan Borjan’s fantastic performance between the posts.

But it started to come undone for Canada near the end of the first half when a poorly cleared ball from Tesho Akindele gave up the corner that led to Honduras’ Mario Martinez equalizing right on the stroke of halftime.

“We were defending well, we were switched on but I think it was four or five corners conceded,” Arfield of the game’s opener. “We just switched off and I don’t even think he kicks the ball cleanly and it just kind of rolled over Milan.”

In that first half, Borjan was superb when he needed to be and any mistakes made by defenders were largely taken care of by teammates who managed to support each other to snuff out Honduras’ attacks.

However, the opening half was a stark contrast to the first few minutes of the second half when the teams started racing up and down the field.

Within five minutes of the restart when Canada strangely allowed the game to suddenly open up, Quioto shrugged off Canadian defender Doneil Henry and raced on to bang in Alberth Elis’ cross from close range and give Honduras the lead.

The players admitted that one or two of them were trying to play a little bit higher up the pitch than they ought to have been and Honduras, playing in the hot and humid conditions that suit them best, took advantage.

“The [goal in] the second half was almost a consequence of the first goal. It was very difficult for us due to the heat,” Canada coach Benito Floro stated. “But in the second half, the team supported the pressing.”

“But still, we have life. The game against El Salvador will be possible.”

Canada now sits on four points in Group A with a minus-5 goal difference while Honduras is at seven points and has a zero goal difference.

Once again, Canada’s hopes seem to be slipping away at this stage of the CONCACAF competition as it has done every time since the last time it reached ‘the Hex’ in the qualifying cycle for the 1998 World Cup.

But the players are still keeping a brave face even if they don’t control their destiny.

“We don’t like having our fate in anyone else’s hands. We could have done the job today but it’s not to be,” Edgar said. “It’s in Mexico’s hands but they have a point to prove as well, coming off what were disappointing results this summer so we’ve just got to go out to do our job and we believe that it can happen.”

Friday was by no means the embarrassment of the game from four years ago in San Pedro Sula. But Canada now has to put on a solid offensive display, something it hasn’t done in a long time and hope Mexico helps them out.

Suffice it to say, though, those odds are very unlikely indeed.

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