Preview:Honduras vs Haiti - prediction, team news, lineups

Honduras have a fight on their hands if they are to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, because they will be going face to face with CONCACAF Group C leaders Haiti on October 14.

The visitors currently top the group with a better goal difference, but there is a long way to go in qualifying - so they can not afford to drop the ball on Tuesday.

Match preview

Honduras will be kicking themselves after dropping two points on Friday last week, when they drew goalless with Costa Rica, in their backyard.

Failing to bag maximum points last weekend opened the door for their upcoming opponents to slide through into first place.

Thankfully for Los Catrachos, they will be in the comforts of their home at the Estadio Nacional Jose de la Paz Herrera Ucles, which may aid in their quest to pull back the leaders.

Honduras head coach Reinaldo Rueda will be confident that his troops can secure three points on Tuesday, especially since they have only been beaten twice across their last 10 outings.

The hosts clearly enjoy playing in front of their fans, because they were on a run of three victories in a row at this ground, before sharing the spoils with Costa Rica last Friday.

The reverse fixture kicked off this section of qualifiers in early September, when the hosts left Haiti with a point in a goalless draw.

However, before that meeting, it was Honduras that scooped the head-to-heads with three wins from the previous four clashes (L1).

Haiti will dust those results off as history, hoping to carve their own records through this phase of 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

A 3-0 triumph over Nicaragua last Friday took the Red and Blue’s points tally to five points, and with three more games left to play, including this one, the visitors will be aiming to simply avoid defeat and keep their spot at the summit.

Head coach Sebastien Migne has done a decent job since stepping into the hot seat in March last year, having only suffered three defeats in 17 games in charge.

Les Grenadiers, however, were on a winless run of six games before last week’s victory, so Migne will be hoping that his troops can kick on from there.

The visitors are unbeaten in three World Cup Qualifiers at this third stage, and share an identical record to their hosts, which could instil confidence that they can leave Tegucigalpa with something in hand.

Honduras World Cup Qualifying - North Central America form:

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Honduras form (all competitions):

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Haiti World Cup Qualifying - North Central America form:

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Haiti form (all competitions):

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Team News

The primary injury concern for the hosts is defensive midfielder David Ruiz, who is battling a hamstring issue.

Rueda may be tempted to go with an unchanged lineup, as his side completely dominated Costa Rica the last time out, holding onto 72% possession.

However, Los Catrachos registered 11 total shots, but their direction was wayward - only one was on target - so there could be a shuffling of the pack up front.

The visitors are in great shape, and coach Migne has a full-strength squad to select from, but he will likely keep Duckens Nazon and Danley Jean-Jacques - both of whom found the back of the net the last time out against Nicaragua - in the starting 11, with the former scoring his sixth of this World Cup qualifying campaign.

Right-winger Josue Casimir made his international debut in that match, and he did not disappoint, as it was his low cross into the area that allowed Haiti to open the scoring.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Jean-Jacques were excellent at dictating the tempo of play in the middle, with the latter grabbing the man-of-the-match award, so the duo are likely to get the nod and be crucial to the visitors’ cause.

Honduras possible starting lineup:

Menjivar; Najar, Montes, Santos; Arriaga, Alvarez, Flores, Rosales; Benguche, Palma, Arboleda

Haiti possible starting lineup:

Placide; Arcus, Ade, Duverne, Lacroix; Providence, Bellegarde, Jacques, Casimir; Pierrot, Nazon

We say: Honduras 2-1 Haiti

The home side should capitalise on playing in their backyard to edge this one, especially because the visitors have only just snapped a poor run of results.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.