VANCOUVER - Javier (Chicharito) Hernandez, Hirving Lozano and Jesus Manuel Corona scored Friday as high-flying Mexico dismantled Canada 3-0 in World Cup qualifying.

After the teams traded chances in an electric opening, Hernandez rose to meet a cross with a header in the 31st minute before Lozano blasted a shot shortside on Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan in the 39th.

Corona added another in the 72nd minute as Canada crumbled in a match the players said all week could be a statement game for the men's national team.

While the Mexicans were full value for the win, the Canadians will be kicking themselves after missing three glorious chances in the opening 45 minutes.

Mexico, ranked 22nd in the world by FIFA, now lead Pool A in the penultimate round of CONCACAF qualifying with nine points from three games.

No. 87 Canada is second with four points, followed No. 99 El Salvador with two points and No. 89 Honduras with one after those countries tied 2-2 earlier Friday. Canada plays at Mexico on Tuesday before visiting Honduras and hosting El Salvador in September.

The pool's top two countries move on to the final round of qualifying.

Canada, which has not made a World Cup since its only appearance in 1986, is now 3-17-7 all-time against Mexico, with the last victory coming in 2000.

The match was played before a crowd of 54,798 at B.C. Place Stadium, which set a new record for a Canadian national team game on home soil in any sport.

While there were plenty of fans cheering on the home side, thousands of Mexican supporters in red, green and white set up shop behind one of the nets and in others pockets to give the stands the look of a Christmas tree.

Mexico had a flurry early in the first half, but Hector Herrera's shot just fizzled wide and Borjan made a great save on Miguel Layun to keep things scoreless.

Junior Hoilett had a golden opportunity to put Canada ahead in the 21st minute, but skied his shot over the Mexican crossbar.

Cyle Larin then had another burst in the 25th for the hosts, only to see his effort on a partial break miss the target.

Mexico had back-to-back chances a few minutes later, but Borjan was again there to deny Andres Guardado on a shot from distance before Layun was stopped on the ensuing corner.

But the visitors kept coming and Hernandez made it 1-0 after Layun was given too much space on the left to deliver a cross that the striker headed past a helpless Borjan to send the Mexican contingent at B.C. Place into a frenzy.

Hernandez and Herrera incredibly each hit posts on the same sequence in the 35th, before Hoilett had another opportunity to get Canada on the board on a shot that again went over the target.

After Lozano scored in the 39th on a brilliant strike on a partial break, the Canadians appealed for a penalty five minutes later, but it looked like the Mexican defence did well to clear the ball off the feet of Atiba Hutchinson.

Canada's Scott Arfield, a Scottish midfielder with a Toronto-born father who was making his debut for the national team, was subbed on at the half and had a half chance in the 53rd minute, but his shot was comfortably saved by Mexican 'keeper Alfredo Talavera.

Corona rounded out the scoring in 72nd, hammering a shot past Borjan as chants of "Ole" echoed around the building.

Marco Fabian almost made it 4-0 with a couple minutes to go, rattling a shot off the crossbar that bounced down and stayed out.

Tuesday's return match in Mexico City will be played at Azteca Stadium, one of the cathedrals of world soccer and a house of horrors for Canada. The Canadians are 0-5-1 all-time at the venue while getting outscored 21-2, including an 8-0 Gold Cup beating before 100,000 fans in 1993.

Canada's last goal at Azteca — which sits more than two kilometres above sea level — came in the country's only positive result there, a 1-1 draw in 1980.

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