TORONTO — Canada got its first taste of the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying on Thursday, having to fight hard for a 1-1 tie with Honduras.
The game — fast-paced and often prickly with little room to breathe — was the first of 14 for Canada in the eight-team Octagonal. And Canada's first trip to the final qualifying round since the lead-up to France '98 was an instant reality check, with two valuable home points dropped.
"That was a big welcome to the CONCACAF Octagon, I guess you could say," said Canadian defender Alistair Johnston.