Host nation Canada kicked off their 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, delivering a statement 6-0 victory over Honduras in their Group B opener. A dominant display from start to finish saw Canada capitalise on every opportunity, with Tajon Buchanan stealing the spotlight with a brilliant brace and a Man of the Match performance.
Coming into the match ranked 30th in the world, compared to Honduras at 75th, Canada were the clear favourites on paper. Their recent head-to-head record also favoured the home side, with two wins from their last three meetings. But instead of easing into the tournament, Canada went straight for the jugular.
The breakthrough came in the 27th minute, when Lille striker Jonathan David slipped a clever ball into the path of Niko Sigur, who calmly slotted it home to make it 1-0. Just before the break, Canada doubled their lead with a well-worked goal. Jacob Shaffelburg’s low cross found Oluwaseyi Ayo, who converted from close range to put the hosts 2-0 up at halftime.
The floodgates opened after the restart. Within three minutes of the second half, Tajon Buchanan, currently on loan from Inter Milan to Villarreal, unleashed a rocket from the edge of the box to extend Canada’s lead to 3-0. He wasn’t done yet. In the 65th minute, Buchanan struck again, pouncing on a loose ball in the box to complete his brace and push the score to 4-0.
Canada kept their foot on the gas. Substitute Kobe Promes added a fifth with a powerful header in the 75th minute, and young defender Myles Saliba capped off the night with a well-taken finish in stoppage time.
Buchanan’s all-action display earned him the Man of the Match honours, as Canada flexed their attacking depth and sent a warning to the rest of the competition.
On the other side, it was a night to forget for Honduras, which struggled defensively and failed to register any meaningful threat. With a minus-six goal difference, their hopes of progressing from the group stage are now hanging by a thread.
In the group’s other match, Curaçao and El Salvador played to a goalless draw, giving Canada an early lead at the top of Group B with three points and a massive goal difference advantage.
Canada will next face Curaçao in the second round, while Honduras must regroup quickly before taking on El Salvador in a match that could determine their Gold Cup future.
