Canada has no interest in being a space filler at the FIFA World Cup

tomtidgewellNovember 26, 2022

Canada’s men’s national team wants to make a statement on the world stage, and it did so in Wednesday’s opener against Belgium.

Canada’s head coach John Hardman addresses his team after their 0-1 loss to Berrigam. Getty Images

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Doha, Qatar — Despite not playing in a FIFA World Cup for 36 years, Canada didn’t want to come here just to fill a group.

Canada’s men’s national team wants to make a statement on the world stage, and it did so in Wednesday’s opener against Belgium.

Canada brought this play to the world’s No. 2 team and deserved a more than 1-0 defeat with a goal near the end of the first half.

“We’ve analyzed a ton of footage from the Belgium match. If you look back over the last five or six years, they’ve scored almost every game,” Canadian defender Alistair Johnston said Friday. “You have to understand that you have to try to score against them. The team that tried to bunker with the ball did not fare well.

“So we went out and watched some movies of a team that seemed to have a little bit of success against them. Belgium is a very good team, so not many. Front legs.”

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Canada challenged Belgium early on and kept their pedals on all through the match. They made his 21 goal attempts. This is the most scoreless World Cup team has ever scored.

Canada’s strategy is expected to take place on the same Sunday as Croatia, who were drawn scoreless to Morocco in their opening match.

Canada needs at least a draw with Croatia. Otherwise, you risk not being able to advance to the next round.

“We know the pressure is high going into this match and we understand that,” Johnston said. “We know what is at stake and we know that our chances of getting out of this group really depended not only on our performance but also on what we have to deliver against Croatia. I have.”

Croatia reached the World Cup final four years ago, but they have never had the same squad. They are a team in transition right now, but they still have the stars of Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic on the field.

Seeing what Canada has done to Belgium, Croatia do not downplay that they themselves need a result. Croatia’s third match will be against Belgium in the group stage.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said: “Canada were the better team against Belgium and should have won the game. “They were attacking, played high presses, missed penalties and conceded goals from counter-attacks. They showed more than they did in the last game and they have to play better than they did against Morocco.

“It is their right to be ambitious and hopeful, and it is our right to prepare and win because that is our goal. Energetic and highly motivated.”

It may be Canada’s first World Cup in 36 years, but they want to act like they belong. Many smaller nations have had success in this year’s tournament and are looking to score with numerous defenses and counterattacks.

Canada are here to prove that they have a world-class line-up of players and an attacking style of play.

“When we saw it, we qualified, and with the guys we had, showed the world that we didn’t want to be here, even if it was the first World Cup in 36 years. I wanted to… sit back and defend myself and make people think it wasn’t worth the wait,” Johnston said. “We want to shoot guns and show it to the world. Unfortunately, in the first half instead of him scoring 1, 2, 3, he lost 1-0 and the situation was It has definitely changed.

“But it’s against these top teams. If you don’t convert and give a guy like (Michy) Batshuayi a half chance, they’re going to put it behind the next team. That’s Croatia and It’s the same in Morocco, and all these teams have players who end up behind the net if they give them half a chance.”

Canada’s head coach, John Hardman, added a little spice to their game against Croatia when he admitted he said “F” Croatia to his squad in a state of excitement after their loss to Belgium.

Croatian media published the comment, and one of the country’s biggest tabloids published a photo of Hardman’s face naked under the headline “You have a mouth, but do you also have a ball?” Posted.

“I don’t mind a little media hype. There’s a little bit of tablet fever,” says Johnston. “It’s a bit of fun and it brings excitement to the match, not only from Canada and Croatia, but also from other countries. You don’t have a particular interest in the match. So it’s kind of exciting for us. I think.”

Dalic didn’t do much of it.

“I saw it[that comment]. , we have to show that we are the better team on the field.” “We have to and we certainly talk about it. It just motivates us. and it’s important to focus on football.”

Email: dvandiest@postmedia.com

Twitter: @DerekVanDiest

Postmedia football expert Derek Van Diest covers all kick-offs of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Subscribe now to get access to all his articles.