Canada vs Honduras live stream soccer world cup qualification video sopcast On PC
Canada vs Honduras live stream soccer world cup qualification video sopcast On PC
Time and Date:12/06/12 19:30 Local Time
Venue:Toronto
Status:LIVE
Canada Profile
Qualification history
Canada have had an up-and-down history in qualifying for the FIFA World Cup™ finals. They began their attempts at reaching world football’s biggest stage in the preliminary rounds of Sweden 1958. After putting a first toe in the water, the Canucks suffered from growing pains before finally achieving a degree of stability in the early 1980s. English coach Tony Waiters brought with him a focus on defence and organisation and the Canadians were unlucky not to qualify for Spain 1982, a draw on the last day of qualifying against Cuba sending El Salvador through to the finals instead. They didn’t have to rue their defeat for long, however, and their greatest moment came in 1985 when a pair of wins over Honduras saw the side through to a first-ever FIFA World Cup finals in Mexico in 1986.
FIFA World Cup finals history
Canada arrived on Mexican soil in ’86 with a reputation for strong defence, but a rather anemic ability in front of goal. In their first game against defending European champions France, the North Americans were able to hold Michel Platini and co until the 79th minute, when a fatal error by goalkeeper Paul Dolan allowed Jean-Pierre Papin to steal in and score the winner in a tense 1-0 loss. They were unable to get in among the goals in their following games and exited their only finals to date with a pair of losses to Hungary and the USSR and without scoring a single goal.
The current crop
Canada have been inconsistent in their form of late, but have a strong squad to draw on in their bid to reach Brazil 2014. Failing to reach the final round of CONCACAF qualifying in their last three qualifying cycles, they have pace, youth and experience in abundance this time around and are hoping for a return to the glory days of 1986. Coach Stephen Hart looks to have instilled an amount of discipline and organisation in the squad and hopes are high in the camp despite a dramatic and harsh first-round exit from the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Key players
The Canadian team is led by Atiba Hutchinson of PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie. A versatile player, the jet-heeled Hutchinson is most effective coming up through midfield and adding himself to the attack. The defensive and leadership roles are handled by long-time Germany-based captain Paul Stalteri and Burnley’s David Edgar. In attack, Dwayne De Rosario of New York Red Bulls will add the creativity while Ali Gerba plays the poacher’s role.
Coach: Stephen Hart
Best performance at a FIFA World Cup: FIFA World Cup Mexico 1986 (First Round), FIFA U-20 World Cup UAE 2003 (quarter-finals)
Former stars: Bob Lenarduzzi, Branko Segota, Dale Mitchell
Honduras Profile:
Qualification history
Honduras capped their 2010 FIFA World Cup™ qualifying campaign off in dramatic fashion, after a last-gasp equaliser in the USA’s match with Costa Rica ensured their place in the finals for the first time in 28 years. Had it not been for the late draw between the Americans and Los Ticos, La Bicolor would have played Uruguay in the intercontinental play-off and may well have seen another year go by in their recurring failure to qualify for the world showpiece despite often being among the favoured to advance.
After the arrival of Columbian manager Reinaldo Rueda in 2007, Honduras returned to their confident attacking displays combined with a solid defence. Rueda’s men finished the final ‘hexagonal’ section of the CONCACAF qualifying rounds with the best defensive record, letting in just 11 goals. And veteran forward Carlos Pavon led the team at the other end, scoring seven times in nine qualifying appearances and notably netting the game-winner in Honduras’ final qualifying match against El Salvador.
FIFA World Cup finals history
Upon making their first FIFA World Cup return in nearly three decades, Honduras were faced with tough group adversaries in South Africa, including eventual World Champions Spain. The Hondurans opened the tournament with a 1-0 loss to Chile, and soon became the ill-fated team to first encounter the wrath of tournament top-scorer David Villa, who grabbed both goals in Spain’s 2-0 win. In their only other FIFA World Cup appearance, Jose de La Paz held the coaching reins and steered Honduras to a surprising opening 1-1 draw with Spain, the 1982 tournament’s hosts, and followed up that account with the same scoreline against Northern Ireland. Their campaign was cut short, however, at the group stage after Yugoslavia beat Los Catrachos 1-0 thanks to a late goal.
The current crop
After Honduras’s South Africa exit, a rollercoaster in terms of coaching changes and veteran departures impacted the squad. Long-time stalwarts Amado Guevara and Danny Turcios announced their international retirements, and despite ending their World Cup qualification drought, Rueda resigned from his post as manager after last year’s finals. The team has since gone through two coaching changes until settling on Luis Fernando Suarez, who took to the helm in February 2011 and led the team to their first Central American championship since 1995 and an admirable semi-final run at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which was eventually ended by Champions-to-be Mexico.
The key players
Left-back Emilio Izaguirre was the find of the 2010/11 season for Celtic - named Scottish Premier League Player of the Year - and is a key force within Honduras's respectable backline. He is helped by captain and goalkeeper Noel Valladares who, despite a shy off-the-field personality, played an instrumental role in Honduras's qualification for South Africa 2010 and their deep run at the latest instalment of the Gold Cup. Wilson Palacios, one of the more recognisable faces of Honduran football playing for Tottenham Hotspur, is also a crucial piece of the Honduran puzzle and is expected to be fit and available for Brazil 2014 qualification.
Current coach: Luis Fernando Suarez
Best performances in a FIFA competition: FIFA World Cup Spain 1982, South Africa 2010 (Group stages)
Former stars: Amado Guevara, Carlos Pavón, Danny Turcios
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