The world comes to Saskatoon’s pitches this weekend
May long weekend is fast becoming a Saskatoon World Cup tradition in this diversified city of ours.
With the FIFA World Cup in Brazil taking place only a few weeks down the road, this cultural-pride event in our own backyard is generating more excitement than ever before.
Tournament organizer Julio Diaz is thrilled to see how his event, celebrating its fifth year, has grown. It’s expanding yet again to include a six-team under-14 division. Included are two First Nations squads, England, Germany, Chile and Iraq.
Ireland looks set to rewrite the fairy tale they lived just one short year ago. They are even stronger than last year, adding stalwart ex-Huskie Simon Mellor and Steven Kenny from University of Lethbridge to the lineup.
Runners-up England look to regain their place atop the Saskatoon soccer world. Known for having one of the deepest benches in the tourney, the Three Lions are a perennial favourite and a difficult team to knock out, having experienced just one loss in the last three years.
Pundits always enjoy discussing Group of Death scenarios. This year’s Group F fits the bill. It features last year’s quarter-finalists Brazil, an offensive-minded First Nations squad, perennial hopefuls El Salvador, along with Palestine.
Brazil’s memories are fresh. They absorbed a shootout loss to eventual-champion Ireland in last year’s playoff round. If not for that loss, who knows how far the Selecao would have progressed? First Nations has added import David Brown to an already talented roster.
Organizers are clever when it comes to drawing up the schedule. Pitting the two top-ranked teams in each pool on the final group day means that in most cases, that match will determine who progresses. All those games will take place Sunday.
One group stage match to look forward to is a heavyweight tilt between inaugural winners Chile and 2012 runners-up Norway. That one will take place at 12:30 p.m. Caribbean and Germany will lock horns at 2:30 p.m. The always feisty Romanians take on Colombia at 1:30 p.m., while up-andcomers China look to escape the group phase for the first time in its history against a veteran Nigerian squad at 3:30 p.m.
The debutants of 2014 are Cameroon and Saudi Arabia. Both are hard-pressed to make a real impact.
While the main event is at 28 teams, it will be anything but easy to get past the group stage. Only the top finisher, along with one wild card, will qualify for the Sunday evening quarter-finals. That means 20 nations will be sent home after group play.
It’s going to take six matches in four days to go the distance. This year’s final is slated for 6:30 p.m. Monday. Everything gets underway 6 p.m. Friday with a Group A match between Iraq and Morocco.
In the spirit of the world’s greatest showcase going on in Brazil this summer, here at home they should avenge last year’s loss and lift the Saskatoon World Cup trophy for a first time.