Luis Palma endured a night to forget as Honduras were thrashed 6-0 by Canada in their Gold Cup opener, with the Celtic winger hooked at half-time.
Palma, who spent the second half of last season out on loan, started the match at BC Place but was withdrawn at the interval after a dismal 45 minutes as his side struggled to contain a rampant Canadian attack. It was the second-biggest win in Canada’s Gold Cup history and a nightmare start for a Honduras side in disarray.
The 25-year-old’s future at Celtic remains unclear. He admitted last month that there was still a chance to impress Brendan Rodgers and work his way back into contention, with time still on his contract. But Tuesday’s showing won’t have helped his case.
Meanwhile, Celtic full-back Alistair Johnston was not involved for the hosts. The right-back, who recently got married, was left out of the squad for the competition, as was Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty for the US.
With Palma’s Celtic career still in limbo, his poor showing for Honduras adds more uncertainty. The winger showed glimpses of quality during his early Parkhead spell but fell out of favour, leading to the loan move. He faces an uncertain summer.
