Memory of Canada's crushing loss to Honduras in 2012 World Cup qualifier still haunts players

The Canadian men's soccer team heads to Honduras to take on Los Catrachos on Thursday in a crucial CONCACAF World Cup qualifying match in San Pedro Sula. 

Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano seats only about 38,000 spectators, and would never be mistaken as one of world soccer's most luxurious venues. But when filled to capacity, such is the intensity of the crowd that it is a boiling cauldron, making it one of the most intimidating places for visiting teams to play in in the CONCACAF region. 

Canada knows this all too well, having suffered a humiliating 8-1 loss to Honduras in a World Cup qualifier on Oct. 16, 2012 in San Pedro Sula. The Canadian team has since returned to the Metropolitano, and only three members of Canada's current side — Atiba Hutchinson, Milan Borjan and Lucas Cavallini — were in the squad for that humbling defeat.  

A lot has changed for Canada's men's team, and this week's visit to San Pedro Sula shouldn't play out like the infamous match from almost a decade ago. For one, Canada currently tops the CONCACAF qualifying table, while Honduras is in last place. But for some who were involved in that game it's hard to forget, even in retirement. 

Former defender David Edgar, who earned 42 caps from 2011 to 2019, was in Canada's starting lineup that day and played the full 90 minutes. Currently an assistant coach with Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League, Edgar admits he's blocked out most of his memories of that humbling loss. 

"Honestly, the lasting memory I have of that day wasn't the game itself, but of afterwards and how I felt like going into hiding," Edgar told CBC Sports. "When we flew back to Canada and landed, after I got home, the highlights of all eight goals were being played on TV, and I