SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras -- If history is any guide, a down-to-the-wire match is on tap Tuesday afternoon in Honduras, when the Catrachos face off with visiting Canada for what figures to be one spot in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying.
These two teams have met ten times in World Cup qualifying, yielding a perfectly even result of three wins for each, with four draws between them. If one side can manage to tip the balance in its favor on Tuesday, that country would advance, likely at the other's expense, in what promises to be another high stakes installment of the rivalry.
The series goes back to 1981, when the two teams met for the first time in regional qualifying in Tegucigalpa. On that day, the hosts pulled out a 2-1 win, key in sending Honduras to its first-ever World Cup the next year.
Just four years later, with the Canadians on their way to the World Cup in Mexico, the North Americans returned the favor, storming Tegucigalpa on an August afternoon and running out with a 1-0 win on the road, before also winning the return leg in St. John's, 2-1.
That somewhat ancient history wouldn't be the last time the tie would prove vital to the aspirations of one of these nations of reaching the World Cup, though.More relevant to the players in today's squads, the nations met at this very juncture of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Just over four years ago, on October 11, 2008, the two teams met in San Pedro Sula in a match crucial for both teams.With Canada on the brink of elimination from Group 2 and Honduras edging towards the top of the table, the home team used goals from Walter Martinez, Carlo Costly and Hendry Thomas to send the Canadians home eliminated.
That victory for the Hondurans evened the all-time qualifying series once again.It would remain level following a scoreless draw between the two sides earlier this year in Toronto.
The Catrachos can, however, claim a slight home-field advantage over their northern visitors. When the teams meet in Honduras, the locals have won twice to only that one loss more than a quarter century ago. They have also drawn twice, including a 2004 meeting in San Pedro Sula.
The Hondurans know they'll need to improve on that positive balance if they're to advance to the Hexagonal for a second straight campaign. Looking up at Panama and Canada on ten points in the Group C table, no result but a victory will see the Hondurans (8 points) through, continuing their chances to qualify for a second straight World Cup.
With those stakes on the line, the players know they'll need all the support possible from their home fans in what is likely to be a sold-out Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.
"Honduras isn't just the national team, but eight million people who love the country," the Honduran Federation's website quoted Mario Martinez as saying. "United and with the help of God, we know we can do it. But we'll need the support of everyone from start to finish."
A win by any margin would guarantee Honduras advancement, while a tie or a Canada win would mean elimination for the Catrachos.
For Canada, the ramifications of a loss are likely equally dire. If Canada falls to Honduras on Tuesday, it would need Cuba to beat table-topping Panama by multiple goals, in a game which takes place simultaneously in Havana.
