Win or go home.
That's the situation for Canada heading into its final group match at the 2023 Gold Cup after John Herdman's team could only muster a goalless draw against Guatemala on Saturday night in Houston.
The Canadians, coming off a dispiriting 2-2 stalemate with Guadeloupe in their tournament opener - where they were booed by the home crowd at BMO Field upon the final whistle - once again delivered a scrappy and sloppy display that lacked precision in the final third.
Herdman fielded a nearly identical lineup to the team that started the first game. While Canada was able to craft some opportunities - a slick combination between Lucas Cavallini and Junior Hoilett created one of its best chances on the evening - the largely veteran lineup once again looked slightly off the pace.
"We're missing that quality (in the final third) at the moment," Herdman, who was briefly interrupted by a young fan seeking a selfie, said during his postgame interview. "The moments were there to win the match for both teams."
Guatemala, ranked No. 116 in the world, actually looked likeliest to break the deadlock for large portions of Saturday's contest and was being spurred on by boisterous support from a partisan crowd.
"This is CONCACAF - you're in Houston and it feels like you're in the center of Guatemala," Herdman said of the predominately Guatemalan supporters. "We knew it was going to be a hell of a battle tonight."
Luis Fernando Tena's side created multiple openings with long balls over the top of Canada's aggressive defensive line. Just like the Canadians, though, the final pass or shot was always wayward.
Guadeloupe and Guatemala each have four points after two Group D matches; the former sits atop the quartet thanks to its superior goal difference. Canada, meanwhile, must beat Cuba in its final group outing on Tuesday to have a chance of reaching the knockout stage of the tournament.