Canada vs Guatemala

Gold Cup Quarterfinal Preview: Guatemala vs. Canada

Guatemala’s Gritty Journey to the Knockouts
Guatemala started strong in their final group-stage match, taking a two-goal lead into halftime, but they had to dig deep in the second half to hold off a relentless Guadeloupe. The narrow victory secured their place in the quarterfinals—marking back-to-back Gold Cup appearances in the knockout stage.

This will be Guatemala’s fourth trip to the last eight this century, but they’ve stumbled at this hurdle every time—most notably in a 3-0 loss to Canada in 2007. Their recent form suggests they’re a tough team to beat when scoring first (winning their last three such matches), but they’ve struggled when conceding early (losing their last two).

One key trend in their favor? When Guatemala scores two or more goals, they’ve won seven of their last eight matches. However, manager Luis Fernando Tena has yet to secure a win against a North American opponent, though his side has been competitive—including a gritty 0-0 draw against Canada in last year’s Gold Cup.

Canada’s Resurgence Under Marsch
Canada topped their group for the first time since 2009, overcoming a physical (and at times overly aggressive) El Salvador side. Playing with a two-man advantage in the second half, they completely shut down their opponents, not allowing a single shot on target.

Jesse Marsch’s squad is now unbeaten in six straight matches (in normal time), with just one goal conceded in the group stage. But the quarterfinals have been a stumbling block—Canada has been eliminated at this stage in four of their last five Gold Cup appearances.

However, they’ve shown growth in recent major tournaments, advancing past the quarterfinals in both the 2023 Copa America (beating Venezuela) and the CONCACAF Nations League (defeating Suriname over two legs).

Head-to-Head Edge for Canada
History favors the Canucks—they’re unbeaten in their last five meetings against Guatemala, winning four of those. Their only loss this century came way back in 2004 (a 2-0 defeat).

Will Guatemala finally break their quarterfinal curse? Or will Canada continue their dominance and march on to the semis? A tense battle awaits.