IN TOUGH IN MEXICO
Canada has not fared well
Jason Bent’s memory of playing in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium has not been diminished by the almost 16 years that have passed since he waited to take the field.
“I was one of the unfortunate ones to be hit with a plastic bag of urine — on my leg,” recalled Bent, now coach of Toronto FC II.
The Mexican fans knew their stuff. The loosely tied bag was designed to open on contact.
Canada returns to Azteca to play Mexico on Tuesday for the first time since that sticky day, a 2-0 loss before 80,000 back in August, 2000.
The giant 50-year-old stadium has been a graveyard for Canada, which has lost five times and tied once in six visits to play Mexico dating back to 1972.
Canada has been outscored 21-2 in the process.
Capacity at Azteca is listed at 95,000 these days although it has held more.
Canada (1-1-1) lost 3-0 to Mexico (3-0-0) at B.C. Place Stadium on Friday night but still stands second in Group A in the penultimate round of World Cup qualifying in the region ahead of El Salvador (01-2) and Honduras (0-2-1).
The top two advance to the final round.
None of the current generation of Canadian internationals has experienced Azteca, although they’re no stranger to playing on hostile ground in CONCACAF.
Their predecessors recall Azteca all too well.
Back in the day, players emerged from their dressing room and ascended a spiral staircase to get to field level. Bob Lenarduzzi, who played for and coached Canada at Azteca, recalls the climb vividly.
“You’re coming up and if you’re at the back of the line, the minute the first guy steps out so the fans can see you, the jeering starts,” he said. “With 120,000 people, it’s really really loud.”
The din starts earlier, however. Players hear it as they leave the dressing rooms in the bowels of the stadium.
“It’s almost like a beehive, it just feels like you’re walking into a big beehive because there’s just this buzz prior to them seeing the players,” said Lenarduzzi. “And then when they see the (opposition) players it turns into jeering.”
The crowd is loud and pro-Mexican but generally well-behaved when it comes to Canada. The altitude hits the visitors, however.
“It’s not a hostile environment, I think it’s an enjoyable one,” said Lenarduzzi.
“It lifts the opposition as much as the home team.”