Sports

Canada look forward to freezing out competition at World Cup qualifiers

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For too lengthy, the Canadian males’s nationwide soccer group has travelled to play FIFA World Cup qualifiers in hostile environments beneath excessive climate circumstances, unable to return the favour.

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Now, with two house video games scheduled for November within the remaining spherical of CONCACAF 2022 World Cup qualifying, Canada Soccer is exacting a little bit of a payback, deciding to play the video games at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

Canada will host Costa Rica on Nov. 12 and Mexico on Nov. 16, a time of yr the place temperatures can dip effectively beneath freezing. The stadium seating capability is 56,400 and at the moment, there aren’t any restrictions on crowd measurement in Alberta as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s a World Cup 2026 metropolis, and having been in Commonwealth when Christine Sinclair scored that penalty (2015 Ladies’s World Cup), we all know that stadium can promote out and it was a sea of pink in that recreation; It’s acquired a historical past of supporting Canadian groups,” stated Canada head coach John Herdman on Friday. “One other factor is that, it’s about controlling our personal future. We may have made issues simpler enjoying in possibly totally different environments, however we wished to make it tough for the opponent and we wished to make them journey throughout occasions zones and play in a Canadian winter on a floor they received’t be proud of.

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“We get an opportunity to play two matches at house in an atmosphere we will management and get our gamers acclimatized to and able to create a fortress out west. I’m excited for that facet.”

Commonwealth Stadium has not hosted a males’s World Cup qualifying recreation since Oct. 15, 2008, when Canada drew 2-2 with Mexico in entrance of 14,145 followers, on the highway to South Africa 2010.

The Canadian males haven’t certified for the World Cup since their solely look in Mexico 1986.

“It would even be an opportunity to deliver Phonzie (Alphonso Davies) house,” Herdman stated of the Edmonton star at the moment enjoying at Bayern Munich within the German Bundesliga. “That child has achieved a lot for this nation. Whether or not it’s his speech that lit up the world (in Russia) and helped Canada land 2026, or what he’s achieved on a world stage.

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“To permit him to come back house and be appreciated by the individuals who have watched him from afar, I believe it’s an incredible little story line. We’re excited for this one, these are two large house matches and we’re going to wish all the pieces about house to assist us by.”

Previous to Edmonton, Canada could have three qualifiers developing this month, travelling to face Mexico on Oct. 7, Jamaica on Oct. 10, and returning to BMO Subject in Toronto to host Panama on Oct. 13.

Canada began the ultimate spherical of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying with a house tie in opposition to Honduras, an away tie in opposition to america and a 3-0 victory in opposition to El Salvador at BMO Subject. Canada is enjoying within the remaining spherical of World Cup qualifying for the primary time since 1997.

The highest three groups within the eight-team qualifying group earn computerized berths into the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the fourth-place group transferring on to a continental playoff in opposition to a group from one other area for an additional berth into the 32-team event.

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After three of 14 video games, Canada at the moment sits tied for second with america and Panama, two factors behind leaders Mexico.

Together with saying the venue for the November qualifying window, Herdman additionally launched his roster of 27 gamers for the upcoming video games in October. It contains Davies, strikers Jonathan David and Cyle Larin, midfielders Stephen Eustaquio, Atiba Hutchinson, and Tajon Buchanan, who all performed large roles in Canada’s first three video games of the qualifiers.

The roster was prolonged due to just a few harm and well being points with some gamers, who Herdman hopes shall be accessible sooner or later in the course of the three video games.

“It’s a posh window this one,” Herdman stated. “We acquired fortunate in September the place we had everybody are available wholesome and recent and we may carry all 23 gamers as a result of we didn’t have any yellow playing cards and we had no journey restrictions.

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“However this window is difficult. Now we have COVID circumstances (goalkeeper Milan Borjan), we now have journey restrictions for Junior Hoilett (from England) into Mexico, we now have accidents and we’re carrying 5 yellow playing cards. And the referee within the first recreation occurs to be the referee who dished out 11 within the first recreation of the Gold Cup, so it’s going to be a wild window.”

Getting a lead to Mexico shall be tough for Canada, contemplating warmth, altitude and hostile crowd anticipated on the famed Azteca Stadium. However their chances are high higher in Jamaica and can probably want a win in opposition to Panama to remain in competition for a top-three spot within the group heading into the three video games in November.

“Enjoying at house is one of the best ways to complete this window,” Herdman stated. “The boys are going to go away for 2 video games and go to battle away from house and already we’re enthusiastic about that as effectively.

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“Then to come back house and really feel that management you may have while you’re in your house nation, you then get to the stadium and also you get that sense of the gang prepared you on. We’re excited for this, each recreation is sort of a cup remaining to us, however it’s much more particular after we get to sing that anthem at house and get to rejoice on the finish of a recreation with a bunch of followers like we did final time. There isn’t any higher feeling than that.”

Electronic mail: dvandiest@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @DerekVanDiest

CANADA ROSTER

GK – Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena zvezda (Crimson Star Belgrade)
GK – Maxime Crépeau | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
GK – James Pantemis | CAN / CF Montréal
CB – Derek Cornelius | GRE / Panetolikos FC
CB – Doneil Henry | KOR / Suwon Samsung Bluewings
CB – Kamal Miller | CAN / CF Montréal
CB – Steven Vitória | POR / Moreirense FC
FB – Samuel Adekugbe | TUR / Hatayspor FC
FB – Zachary Brault-Guillard | CAN / CF Montréal
FB – Alistair Johnston | USA / Nashville SC
FB – Richie Laryea | CAN / Toronto FC
M – Stephen Eustáquio | POR / FC Paços de Ferreira
M – Liam Fraser | USA / Columbus Crew SC
M – Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
M – Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Colorado Rapids
M – Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M – Samuel Piette | CAN / CF Montréal
M – David Wotherspoon | SCO / St. Johnstone FC
F – Charles-Andreas Brym | NED / FC Eindhoven
F – Lucas Cavallini | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F – Jonathan David | FRA / Lille OSC
F – Cyle Larin | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
W – Tajon Buchanan | USA / New England Revolution
W – Alphonso Davies | GER / FC Bayern München
W – David Junior Hoilett | ENG / Studying FC
W – Liam Millar | SUI / FC Basel
W – Jacob Shaffelburg | CAN / Toronto FC

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