Canada makes final preparations for Honduras

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Canada made its final on-field preparations this morning before Saturday’s FIFA World Cup™ Qualifiers match against Honduras. The team practiced from 11.00 to 12.00 at Stade Saputo on the eve of the big game. Canada will kick off at 20.00 at Stade Saputo in Montréal, QC.

“It’s important that we pick up points in every match,” says coach Dale Mitchell. “(This stage) is a mini league and all four teams will be judged at the end of six matches.”

Canada is playing six matches against three teams in Stage III of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Qualifiers. Three of those matches are in Canada: 20 August against Jamaica in Toronto (a 1:1 draw), 6 September against Honduras in Montréal (admission.com or 514.790.1245) and 15 October against Mexico in Edmonton (Ticketmaster.ca / 780.451.8000).

Coach Mitchell explains that the team atmosphere before Saturday’s game is good, especially since the team features many experienced players who play regularly in high-pressure situations with their clubs.

“The games are all going to be close,” says Mitchell. “We want to remain as consistent as possible. As the home team, the onus is on you to go forward. It’s all a matter of finding the right balance of offence and defence.”

This will be the 16th contest between Canada and Honduras, the eighth in FIFA World Cup™ Qualifiers. The two sides last met in an international friendly on 2 July 2005 in Burnaby, BC (Canada lost 1:2). In 2004, both sides played to two draws in the FIFA World Cup™ Qualifiers (a 1:1 draw in Edmonton and a 1:1 draw in Honduras).

The 6 September match will be televised live on Sportsnet. For those viewers with all four Sportsnet channels, the match will be found live on Sportsnet Ontario and Sportsnet East (20.00 ET / 18.00 MT / 17.00 PT) and delayed on Sportsnet West (21.00 MT) and Sportsnet Pacific (23.00 PT). The match will also be broadcast live on Team 990 radio.