Honduras and Mexico will begin their two-legged battle for a CONCACAF Nations League semi-final spot when they meet at the Estadio Francisco Morazan on Saturday.

Match preview

Honduras return to action on Saturday aiming to continue their pleasing CONCACAF Nations League run and take an advantage in their two-legged quarter-final tie, having qualified for the final eight through the group stage in League A.

Los Catrachos experienced a mixed start in September, kicking off with a 4-0 thrashing of Trinidad and Tobago thanks to goals from Alexander Lopez, Kervin Arriaga, Edwin Rodriguez and David Ruiz, before suffering a 2-1 home defeat to Jamaica.

Reinaldo Rueda's team returned to winning ways in a trip to French Guiana last month, as Anthony Lozano, Deiby Flores and Jorge Benguche got on the scoresheet in a 3-2 triumph, and they were able to get over the line with a goalless stalemate away at Jamaica in the final round of games, pipping Nicaragua to second spot on goal difference.

In a bid to reach the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals for the first time, having previously finished third in the 2021 iteration, Honduras will now bid to make the most of home advantage and gain an aggregate lead on Saturday.

They face a tough test, though, as the visitors enter this edition of the Nations League aiming to go five matches unbeaten and go one better after their defeat in the last final in March.

Mexico fell just short of winning the competition for the first time in the 2023-24 campaign, getting past Panama in the semi-finals only to suffer a 2-0 defeat to USA, and after failing to progress through the Copa America group stage in June, they appear to have refound their form in recent months.

That campaign ended in a goalless stalemate with Ecuador, leaving El Tricolor agonisingly short of a quarter-final place, before they dished out a 3-0 beating to New Zealand and played out a goalless stalemate with Canada in a pair of friendlies in September under the new management of returning boss Javier Aguirre.

They then most recently met USA in another friendly in the October international break and avenged the Nations League final defeat, as Raul Jimenez and Cesar Huerta fired them to a 2-0 victory at the Estadio Akron.

With momentum back on their side, Mexico will now bid to gain an edge in their quarter-final tie before returning for the home leg next week with their sights set on reaching another final and adding to their trophy cabinet having most recently won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2023.

Honduras possible starting lineup:

Menjivar; Najar, Maldonado, Vega, Rosales; Rivas, Arriaga, Acosta, Rodriguez; Lozano, Benguche

Mexico possible starting lineup:

Malagon; Sanchez, Vasquez, Montes, Angulo; Alvarez, Romo; Martin, Pineda, Huerta; Jimenez