Canada vs Honduras Odds & Prediction – CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying

• World No. 59 Canada is in the final qualifying round of a World Cup for first time since 1998
• Honduras qualified for the 2010 and 2014 finals and missed out on the 2018 World Cup in a playoff versus Australia
• Read on for betting odds, a full preview and the best bet for this opening match of the final CONCACAF qualifying round

With the likes of Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David powering its offense, Canada is one step away from qualifying for the World Cup finals for just the second time. John Herdman’s team, in the final CONCACAF qualifying round for the first time in over 20 years, kicks off the first of 14 games that will determine its fate on Thursday, September 2, at home against Honduras.

Unlike Canada, Fabian Coito’s team is no stranger to this stage of qualifying, having made it to the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, before narrowly missing out last time around when it lost a two-legged playoff match against Australia. Ranked 62nd in the world, Honduras has a team featuring a heavy MLS contingent and will be familiar with many of the players lining up against it on Thursday evening at Toronto’s BMO Field.

Canada vs Honduras Odds

Odds as of September 1 at FanDuel

Les Roaring Rouges

A punchbag – if not a punchline – for much of the past 30 years, Canada seems to have finally assembled a team that can get it back into the World Cup conversation. While Bayern Munich’s Davies and Lille’s David may be newbies to the country’s trials and tribulations in World Cup qualifying, Besiktas star Atiba Hutchinson has been here before. This is his fifth attempt to lead his country to the promised land, and while he says the current crop of players is “fearless,” he knows what awaits his team.

Be part of this moment. 🇨🇦📈
Limited seats for #CANMNT v Honduras are still available.
Secure your seats now at: https://t.co/H5ViPsQeOL#WCQ pic.twitter.com/U9385m3WZO

— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) September 1, 2021

However, having won all six games in the preliminary rounds by a combined 31-1, Canada’s offense is firing on all cylinders.

Breakout Gold Cup

Even looking beyond its free-scoring ways, Canada couldn’t come into this part of the qualifying cycle flying much higher than it currently is. Only an injury-time Mexico goal stood between Canada and the Gold Cup final this summer as the Canadians pushed the defending champions to the brink. That tournament also proved a breakout moment for the likes of Tajon Buchanan – who scored in that semifinal – which paved the way for his subsequent move to Belgium’s Club Brugge.

RISING STAR ⭐

A young core of talented, attack-minded players make up this new-look #CanMNT squad; the latest among them?

Tajon Buchanan, who recently signed for Club Brugge! 👇

⚽ Canada vs. Honduras in WCQ
📅 Sept. 2, 2021
⏰ PRE-GAME: 7:30PM ET
📺 https://t.co/hishXepRT3 pic.twitter.com/nPwI7kQvtV

— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) September 1, 2021

So while Davies and David may no longer be flying under the radar, Buchanan headlines a crop of other youngsters – along with midfielders Stephen Eustaquio and Marc-Anthony Kaye – who have given Canada real belief of reaching Qatar. And while Canada has named a largely full-strength squad for this game, one of those youngsters – striker Ayo Akinola from Toronto FC – will miss out owing to the knee injury he received at the Gold Cup.

The Herdman Effect

Since taking the helm in 2018, former Canadian women’s head coach John Herdman has led the men to a 21-6 record in the 27 games he’s coached.

The squad is out for the #CanMNT ahead of the start of the Octo in WCQ

No new commits for John Herdman, who elects to go with a 23 man squad instead of a 26

David, Davies, Hutchinson, Larin and Eustaquio are all in. No Arfield, though

Cavallini is back from injury

Solid squad pic.twitter.com/0QlOJmTygo

— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) August 26, 2021

However, while that is not to be sniffed at, it should be pointed out that most of those victories came against teams that are very much in the minnow category, and only two of the wins came against teams ranked higher than Canada in the FIFA rankings.

Canada vs Honduras 2021 Stats

Honduran Underdogs

While it has enjoyed much more World Cup success in recent years than Canada, Honduras comes into Thursday’s game as the +270 underdog, ranked three places lower than Canada in the FIFA rankings.

This clash with Canada could have taken place in the Gold Cup semifinals this summer, but Mexico spoiled that narrative with a 3-0 quarterfinal victory to set up its epic clash with Canada.

Head coach Fabian Coito has an experienced squad to draw on here, including striker Romell Quito, who scored for CF Montreal last weekend in a 3-1 over Toronto FC, along with Houston Dynamo pair Boniek Garcia and Maynor Figueroa. However, Coito seems to be concerned with conspiracy theories in the buildup to the game.

Honduras is clearly shaking in their boots at the thought of facing the #CanMNT 🤪

Bring it on! pic.twitter.com/UiF3p4Gly9

— Mahith Gamage (@mahithgamage) September 1, 2021

History On Honduras’s Side

If past results are any indicator, Honduras will enter this match confidently, having won 11 of the 26 matches they’ve played, with seven Canadian victories and seven draws.

It was honors even the last time the two teams met two, with a goalless draw in the group stage of the 2017 Gold Cup.

Best bet: Canada -1 (+185)