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Canada has every reason to be confident about progressing to the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup. The team is playing well and has collected four points from its first two games of the group stage, including a 1-1 draw with Costa Rica that suggests it can compete with the heavier weight sides in this tournament.
Further, it merely needs a draw to be assured of automatic qualification to the knockout rounds, and its final group stage opponent, Honduras, has yet to score a goal in this competition.
CONCACAF's decision to punish French Guiana for fielding Florent Malouda - deemed an ineligible player by the confederation - includes the gift of three points and three goals to Honduras: a forfeit win replacing what had been a mere point for a scoreless draw.
The forfeit win boosts Honduras chances of progressing in the tournament. If its result against French Guiana had stood, then the team would have needed both to beat Canada and hope for a little help from other results to make the knockout rounds. Instead, a win over Canada will guarantee a place in the quarterfinals, and a tie would make Honduras a favorite to claim a lucky-loser spot in the next round as one of the better-ranked third-placed teams from the group stage.
Honduras has a talented attacking side and a habit of knocking Canada out of World Cup qualifying, but in this game - with the Gold Cup's leading scorer, Alphonso Davies, their side - the Canadians are favorites to get what they need and move on to the quarterfinals.