VANCOUVER, B.C. - The best result for Canada on Friday evening, didn't come from their match in Vancouver against Mexico, but in the World Cup qualifier thousands of miles away between El Salvador and Honduras.
An 88th minute goal from Bonilla gave El Salvador a 2-2 draw, a result which keeps Canada in second place in Group A, with a place in the Hex firmly in their sights.
It was always likely that the results from the double header between the Central American rivals was going to have more influence on Canada's fate than what happened in their own matches against Mexico. Their qualification path remains clear and in their own hands - they need to take points, likely at least four, from their final two group games to advance.
"We'll get to those games and we'll still be in with a fighting chance," Toronto FC midfielder Will Johnson told reporters after Mexico loss. "No matter what the result was over there, we'll still go into the last two games with a chance because of what we did in the first two games."
It may be a clear path on paper, but Canada still have to get the job done and take something from what was always going to be two massive matches in September against Honduras away and El Salvador at home. But at least it did raise Canadian spirits a little after their 3-0 loss.
"It's good to hear," center back Adam Straith said of El Salvador's draw with Honduras. "It brings a bit of positivity to the night. At the end of the day, it's a group stage. To say that we're forgetting about those games and worrying just about us, would be a lie.
"Obviously it's something we have to take into consideration too, but it doesn't change the mentality of what we have to do. Going into the game on Tuesday we just have to focus on what we have to do and what we can control."
Getting anything from Tuesday's game at the Azteca (10:30 pm ET; TSN/RDS in Canada | FS1 in US) looks far beyond Canada's reach after their showing in the loss to Mexico on Friday night. Head coach Benito Floro is having none of that talk though and genuinely feels his side can go to Mexico and take something out of the game.
Realistically though, how they approach that game and work with their system and team chemistry is what is more likely to go a long way in preparing them for September's key clashes.
"For us, these two [Mexico] games and the next camp in June are very important," Floro feels. "We need to increase our level playing games, official games, so we are going to extract what is important from this game, positive and negative. To rectify the negative and increase the positive, and to think only to win in Mexico. This is the way.
"After Mexico, we have El Salvador and Honduras but don't be thinking we are going to be waiting for [them]. Our mission is to win one point, three points, in Mexico. Doing things better than today."
