TORONTO – Cyle Larin scored two first half goals to pave the way for a 4-1 Canada win over Honduras in the final match of Group C of League A of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League Finals on Tuesday night at BMO Field in Toronto.
With the result, Canada finish atop the group with nine points, three points ahead of Honduras, and advance to the CNL Finals this June in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It was the Larin show at the start, with the FW tallying twice in a span of three minutes to open up a 2-0 lead for Canada in the early going.
A slick one-two combination between Jonathan Osorio and Larin ended with the latter firing in past Honduras GK Luis Lopez for a 1-0 Canada lead in the 9’.
Three minutes later the scoreline stood at 2-0 when Larin rose high and smacked home an in-swinging corner kick.
Larin almost notched a first half hat trick when Honduras was whistled for a handball in their own area in the 41’, however his attempt from the spot missed the mark, leaving it a two-goal lead going into the break.
Canada kept their foot on the gas to start the second half and Jonathan David managed to add his name to the scoresheet in the 49’ when a deep Tajon Buchanan cross took two deflections before David swooped in to fire into goal for a 3-0 Canada lead.
Honduras dug in and started to carve out some scoring opportunities. After some near misses, they finally converted with Jorge Benguche turning in a header in the 73’ to cut the gap to 3-1.
Honduras had belief, but Canada sought to swing the momentum right back in their favor and avoid any late surprises, and they did just that with an Osorio goal in the 87’ off a pass from Ayo Akinola to complete the 4-1 scoreline.
