By Dylan Butler

PHILADELPHIA - Canada's run to the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals even took interim coach Stephen Hart by surprise.

"I thought our group was going to be very difficult, very competitive," Hart said. "We had two teams in the group (Costa Rica and El Salvador) that are still in the World Cup qualification and recently played, which means they were together longer. Jamaica always presents difficulty with their athleticism and the quality of the team they have presently."

And yet, it was Canada that finished alone atop Group A, considered by many as the tournament's toughest, advancing to the knockout stage for the second consecutive tournament.

"Things fell into place a bit quicker than expected," Hart said. "We got goals in timely moments in the games, some good goalkeeping…a combination of things."

On Saturday, Canada faces Honduras in the quarterfinals at Lincoln Financial Field for the first time since Los Catrachos beat the Canucks twice during the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying.

But Hart said revenge isn't a motivational factor.

"We've stayed away from those type of discussions," Hart said. "What's happened in the past has happened in the past. These are new games, new competition, new tournament, different players. Those things I try to stay away from."

While Canada views the CONCACAF Gold Cup as a chance to put the disappointment of its failed World Cup qualifying campaign behind it, midfielder Patrice Bernier called the Gold Cup "phase one for 2014."

Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda has used the tournament as a chance to scout some of the younger players in his national pool in a competitive environment.

And Rueda has liked what he's seen from his squad, which finished second behind the United States in Group B, beating Grenada and Haiti.

"I've had a great response from this team," Rueda said through a translator. "The tournament has been all positive. It is a great opportunity for our players. It makes them stronger. It is very important you reach your objectives. This tournament will help strengthen our national team for the future games."

Like Hart, Rueda said his team's success in World Cup qualifying against Canada doesn't translate to the Gold Cup.

"I consider that we have to beat Canada," he said. "We are the only ones who can defeat ourselves. We beat them in 2008, but that's history. Now we have to prove ourselves once more. It's going to be a beautiful game. Canada is strong with lots of international players. Hopefully we can beat them."

The winner of Saturday's quarterfinal will advance to the semifinals to face either Panama or the United States at Chicago's Soldier Field. Honduras might be the favorite, but Rueda expects a difficult match.

"Canada plays great football," Rueda said. "We know each other both very well. We have to overcome ourselves. Honduras needs to reach our objective. It is all about us and what we're going to do."

Canada, which won the 2000 Gold Cup and lost in a controversial semifinal to the United States in 2007, has met Honduras twice in the Gold Cup, splitting the two matches. In 1991, Honduras won, 4-2, while Canada came away with a 3-1 victory in 1996.

Honduras has reached the knockout stage three times, losing to the United States in the 1991 final and in the 2005 semifinals, and were upset by Guadeloupe in the 2007 quarterfinals.

"Once you reach this stage," Hart said, "anything can happen."