Zambrano era starts for real at Gold Cup

The Canadian men’s national soccer team plays its first competitive game under Octavio Zambrano on Friday when it takes on French Guiana to open the 2017 Gold Cup.

More demanding group-phase games await against Costa Rica and Honduras, but Zambrano is not about to take lightly the French territory nestled between Brazil and Suriname.

“They’re a good side,” the Ecuadorian-born coach said on the eve of the game in Harrison, N.J. “They have had to do something good to be in this tournament … They are, I would say, the same level as Curacao. They have French players with Caribbean roots, whereas Curacao has Dutch players with Caribbean roots. They are all legitimate players in the professional league in France and some local players.

“But they’re a good side. I’ve seen them on video. They have a good team.”

The Canadian men beat 68thranked Curacao 2-1 in a June 13 friendly in Montreal, Zambrano’s first game in charge since taking over the men’s program in March.

Canada scrimmaged against Nicaragua on Monday in Florida before flying to New Jersey.

“Even though the Curacao game was a good test, it really wasn’t enough,” Zambrano said. “We needed another one.”

Zambrano received some good news on the eve of the CONCACAF championship when his team rose nine spots to No. 100 in the FIFA rankings. Because it is not a member of FIFA, French Guiana is not ranked.

Zambrano has brought a mix of experience and youth to the tournament. While star midfielder Atiba Hutchinson continues his national team hiatus, Marcel de Jong, Patrice Bernier, Tosaint Ricketts, Milan Borjan, Dejan Jakovic, Jonathan Osorio, Samuel Piette, Adam Straith and Russell Teibert have been to a combined 22 CONCACAF championships.