PLENTY AT STAKE FOR CANADA ON PITCH
Another win against Americans would go long way toward netting World Cup berth
The Canadian men’s national soccer team still has a lot of heavy lifting to do for a top-six spot in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Yet, an impressive 2-0 victory against the United States in Nations League Group A play just over three weeks ago at BMO Field in Toronto has the team in a confident mood heading into the rematch on Nov. 15 in Orlando, Fla.
A draw would be good enough to get Canada into the semifinals of the inaugural continental tournament and, more importantly, would earn them valuable Fifa/coca-cola World Ranking points in the quest to get into the main group (Hex) in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“We have bigger motivations than anything that can be said down south,” said Canada coach John Herdman in a conference call Friday, following the announcement of the roster for the game. “Our motivation is to win the Nations League Group A with one reason in mind; to qualify for the Hex which will take us to the World Cup.”
The win against the United States vaulted Canada into the top six in the latest world rankings. However, it’s a precarious position as Canada is just three points ahead of El Salvador, 16 up on Curaçao and 29 in front of Panama.
The top six ranked teams prior to the start of World Cup qualifying next year will face each other for three guaranteed CONCACAF spots in Qatar. The rest of the teams in the confederation will vie against each other for the half spot awarded to the CONCACAF to be contested against another region.
Qualification for Qatar from outside the top of six would be extremely difficult, so Canada’s best chance to play in a World Cup prior to likely receiving an automatic berth as co-hosts in 2026 would be to qualify for the Hex.
For the Americans, a spot in the Hex is already guaranteed as the second-highest ranked team in the region behind Mexico. They need a win in Orlando to move on to the Nations League semifinal and restore some pride.
The United States took the loss to Canada hard as it was the first time in 34 years they had fallen to their northern neighbours. The American men’s team is in a bit of a transition period, having failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and sustaining some surprising losses this year.
“I think whatever is happening south of the border is their business, it’s for them to deal with,” Herdman said.
“I’ve been pretty clear internally here with the players we have.”
Herdman may have the most talented crop of male players Canada has ever produced at his disposal.
Along with budding superstar Alphonso Davies, the Canadian team also features talented players such as Jonathan David, Lucas Cavallini, Junior Hoilett, Scott Arfield, Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Doneil Henry, Steven Vitoria and Derek Cornelius.
The win against the United States helped erase bad memories of the 3-2 loss to Haiti at the Gold Cup this past summer and also earned them a spot into the 2021 edition of the tournament.
Herdman and his staff got the formula right in the first game against the United States and they want to keep the momentum building.
Interest in the game has peaked as the men’s program has become popular after years of discontent among fans for the team’s inability to qualify for a World Cup since Canada’s only appearance in 1986.
“I think we have to keep it at a high level,” Herdman said.
“I think going into a game like this the margins are tight and that’s probably up to the U.S. to figure out how Canada might approach this game. Mindset-wise, it’s the same every time we come into camp, to keep improving as a group to be better than we were in the last camp and to keep bringing that same will and intensity.
“Whether we play one way or another, with one formation or another, it comes down to will and that’s what we’ll be working on to build that consistency against that type of opposition.”
There won’t be any lack of motivation for Canada going into the game against the United States, knowing what is at stake for the men’s program. But after finally clearing the hurdle of winning a competitive match against the Americans for the first time since 1985, Canada’s confidence should be at an all-time high.
“We know the U.S. will add a certain level to the performance being at home, so for us we not only have to bring a certain level of consistency but improvement on that last performance as well,” Herdman said. “Speaking to the leadership group, they’re very clear; these four or five days and the short window we get together the work we do is going to be critical to push for another result.”