Canada to play soccer qualifier at B.C. Place

Men’s game against French Guiana set for March 24

TORONTO — Canada will face French Guiana on March 24 at B.C. Place Stadium, wrapping up its CONCACAF Nations League qualifying schedule.

CONCACAF had originally listed the game as March 26 at Toronto’s BMO Field, which hosted the Oct. 16 game against Dominica. But Vancouver will play host instead.

“B.C. Place is always a great atmosphere when we pack that lower bowl,” said Canada coach John Herdman, who lives in the Vancouver area. “The fans here tend to come support the national teams ... I think the fans will be treated to some real quality.

“It’s not very often you can turn up with Atiba Hutchinson, Scott Arfield, Junior Hoilett, Alphonso Davies. It’s exciting.”

The return of the 18-year-old Davies, a former Vancouver Whitecap now with Germany’s Bayern Munich, will be a draw for the locals.

The four-match qualifying round sets the stage for a threetier competition, complete with promotion and relegation, that kicks off in the fall of 2019 in the confederation covering North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The Canadian men are ranked 76th in the world. French Guiana, while a member of CONCACAF, is not ranked because it does not belong to FIFA.

The March game is a rematch of their 2017 Gold Cup opener at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New York, where Canada won 4-2 on the strength of two late goals by Davies.

Canada (3-0-0, goal difference plus-14) currently stands third in the CONCACAF Nations League qualifying table behind Curacao (3-0-0, plus-21) and Haiti (3-0-0, plus-17). French Guiana (2-1-0, plus-5) is 11th.

A tie or win would suffice for Canada to qualify for the CONCACAF Nations top tier given there are six teams with nine points going into the final round of qualifying. There are eight teams on six points.

“It’s a big game for us,” said Herdman. “We want to make sure we keep moving forward as a team. We knew the teams would get tougher through Nations League [qualifying]. Because of the way the seedings had worked, your last two games were always going to be the toughest.

“And French Guiana showed in the 2017 Gold Cup that they weren’t a pushover ... I think it will be an exciting match. The fans will be treated because I think our boys are going to be motivated.”

The top six countries from the 34 in qualifying will slot into Group A of the CONCACAF Nations League alongside prequalified Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and the U.S.