Canada continued to lead the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, earning a 2-0 victory on Thursday against Honduras, which all but said goodbye to Qatar.

An own goal from Denil Maldonado after 10 minutes opened the scoring at the Metropolitan Olympic Stadium in San Pedro Sula. Jonathan David settled the match in the 72nd minute, on a counterattack.

Canada reached 19 points, one more than the United States and two more than Mexico. For now, the three North American teams control direct tickets to the World Cup.

“It wasn’t going to be a good game from us, but what we’re looking for is to be disciplined… We knew we could create danger on the counter-attack, and I think we were accurate tonight,” John Herdman said. , the coach of the Canadian team, who has not played in the World Cup since Mexico 1986.

The fourth-place tie will play an international playoff match against the Oceania monarch, likely New Zealand. But Honduras seems far removed from such aspirations.

Those led by Colombian Hernán Darío “Bolillo” Gómez are in last place in the octagon, with just three units, 11 from the playoff zone. They haven’t collected a single victory in nine dates.

“Nothing comes of it, we’re having a bad time. They came less often and they finished, it’s difficult because we want to win. It’s very difficult for everyone,” said the midfielder. Honduran pitch Edwin Rodríguez.

The Canadians remain unbeaten in the octagon, despite arriving in Honduras without their biggest figure, Bayern Munich winger Alphonso Davies, who has been diagnosed with myocarditis.

Canada started timidly and it was Honduras who took the first dangerous action, but without goal in their shots.

The scoreboard opened up after individual play from Tajon Buchanan, who won the right flank, entered the box and sent in a cross.

Maldonado apparently hesitated over whether to deflect with a header or pick up some spoils. He ended up dropping his head, where the ball hit him to enter his own goal.

The second goal came after a break in the Canadian defense sent a long ball into the Honduran field, which was received by David, who in a one-on-one with goalkeeper Luis López hit him with a vaseline.

“Honduras don’t deserve to be in this position, we played good games, but the games get out of control; We thank the people who come to support us in bad times, but that’s football and we have to move on,” Rodríguez said.

Canada hosts the United States on Sunday and travels to El Salvador on Wednesday. Honduras will play again at home against the Salvadorans on Sunday and visit the Americans on Wednesday.