Late goal lifts Honduras over Canada at CONCACAF men’s under-20 championship

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – The Canadians have made things difficult for themselves.

Jorge Alvarez scored in the 77th minute as Canada lost its CONCACAF men’s under-20 championship opener 1-0 to Honduras on Friday.

Canada (0-1-0) will attempt to bounce back on Monday when it faces Mexico in its second of three Group A matches. The Mexicans (1-0-0) sit first in the group after beating Antigua and Barbuda 3-0.

“We have to take heart from the way we played with the ball, especially in the first half, but we have to adjust now and rally the troops for the second match,” Canada coach Rob Gale said.

“It’s a challenge, but we know it’s a three-match series so we have to respond on Monday and Thursday.”

The 12-nation CONCACAF tournament is a qualifier for the upcoming 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea. Only four CONCACAF nations will qualify.

The Canadians also play Antigua and Barbuda (0-1-0) in Group play, with only two nations advancing to the next round.

Canada’s 20-man roster features nine players based in Chile, England, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Scotland. Eight others are working their way through the system with Canadian MLS clubs while the remaining three are in the NCAA ranks.

Canada failed to qualify for the last four U20 world championships and has not taken part since it served as host in 2007 when it failed to win a game or score a goal.