Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — The Canadian men’s national soccer team will get an opportunity to see where they stand against 2022 FIFA World Cup opponents in its final international window before Qatar.
John Herdman’s men are playing the hosts Qatar in an exhibition game at the Generali Arena in Vienna, Austria on Friday and then will face Uruguay at the Stadion Tehelne Pole here on Tuesday.
Canada has set up training camp at the impressive MOL Soccer Academy just east of the Slovakian capital.
“Qatar will arguably be the most prepared team at the World Cup, given the investment and the time they’ve had together,” said Herdman on Thursday. “They’re very disciplined and defensively they’re as organized as I’ve ever seen a team in this World Cup setting.
“So, it’ll be a tough match. As I’ve learned, we’ll be clunky in that first five or 10 minutes, it’ll take us a while to get our rhythm when we haven’t been together for a while and against a disciplined team like Qatar they can punish us, so we’ll have to be on our toes in those first 15 minutes. That will be an absolute given for this group, we’ll have to show some real focus and concentration.”
Focus has been hard to come by for Canada since finishing first in Concacaf qualifying and earning a spot in a men’s World Cup for the first time since 1986.
In what is an important time for the Canadian men’s national team, the team has had its preparations disrupted by controversy in previous international window leading up to the November tournament.
Canada had to cancel an exhibition game against Iran after receiving backlash for inviting the team to Vancouver. The Iranian government was responsible for shooting down a Ukrainian commercial flight, killing all 176 passengers on board, which included 63 Canadians.
The players then boycotted the following friendly quickly organized against Panama over a pay dispute with Canada Soccer over World Cup prize money. The players eventually got back on the field for a Concacaf Nations League game against Curacao at home and then away to Panama, but that international window was essentially a write off.
And while the players and Canada Soccer have yet to reach an agreement for World Cup prize money the focus is on the field as they prepare for the tournament.
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
Canada will have one final exhibition game against Japan on Nov. 17, after the World Cup squad is named, then open the 32-team tournament against Belgium on Nov. 27 in Al Rayyan, Qatar.
Canada also plays Croatia on Nov. 27 in Al Rayyan and conclude Group F play against Morocco in Doha on Dec. 1. The top two teams advance to the second round.
“We feel great, we always have great energy in our locker room,” said Canada fullback Steven Vitoria. “We know the tests we have in front of us and we always have that mentality and attitude of respecting our opponents. So we’re focusing on who we are, where we are at the moment and where we want to get to.”
For the moment, the Canadian squad is the most talented men’s team ever assembled. They had never before finished first in Concacaf qualifying ahead of Mexico and the United States.
At its last World Cup appearance in 1986, Canada failed to score in, losing all three games to France, Hungary and the USSR.
“I think we’re focused on the process; we know what we need to focus on and what we need to work on and ultimately, we have a goal in mind and that’s what we’re coming back to in these important games in this international break,” said defender Sam Adekugbe. “This will be a good test for us, playing two opponents that we’re not used to playing. It’ll be a good test for us to see what it’s like to go up against World Cup teams. It’s going to be a different atmosphere.”
The Canadian team has not been together since the debacle in June and won’t get together again until the squad head to Qatar for the World Cup. The team has prided itself on being a tight-knit unit and the dispute over pay has tested that bond.
“It always feels good to get back together, we have such a good brotherhood and it feels so long since we had our last camp,” Adekugbe said. “The big tournament is coming up really quickly, so we’re just happy to get back together and focus on the important matches ahead.”
While playing Qatar will be a nice appetizer for Canada, the true litmus test will come against Uruguay. The South Americans are two-time World Cup champions and are considered on a similar footing to the region powerhouses Argentina and Brazil.
“I think that’s going to be a little taste of what we have to come against Belgium, and Croatia,” Vitoria said. “This is a level we all dream of playing at and now that we’re here, there is no reason to get scared. We’re all embracing the moment and are accepting that and it’s about pushing our new limits that are out there.
“This is what this is about. We achieve our objective of qualifying and we’re happy but we’re not fully satisfied because we want to keep improving every day.”
Email: dvandiest@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @DerekVanDiest
Post a Comment