VAN DIEST: Alphonso Davies excited to be home for World Cup qualifiers

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EDMONTON — Alphonso Davies held courtroom with media for the primary time ever at discipline stage at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Wednesday.

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As soon as achieved, the Bayern Munich star was requested by a few members of the Edmonton Elks soccer group for a fast image.

It’s the type of enchantment Davies has internationally for the time being and the explanation why almost 50,000 followers are anticipated to attend when Canada hosts Costa Rica in a FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifier on Friday and Mexico on Tuesday.

“It feels good, I’m completely happy to be again, I’m completely happy to be at Commonwealth Area with the nationwide group,” Davies mentioned. “It’s wonderful and I’m excited to see all of the followers which might be popping out for the sport on Friday, and I’m completely happy that my household will get to see me play stay once more.

“I’m right here for enterprise, we’re right here to win two video games, however I noticed my mother and father once I arrived, I gave them an enormous hug, as a result of I missed them rather a lot. It was good.”

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It has been a very long time since Davies performed in Edmonton in November, however as one of many prime youth gamers within the metropolis earlier than departing to be a part of the Vancouver Whitecaps residency program, he would have performed right now of 12 months earlier than.

“I used to be actually younger, however I bear in mind the event and it was enjoyable,” Davies mentioned. “It was positively not in stadiums like this, but it surely was good.”

Davies, 21, has turn into a world star since leaving Edmonton to pursue a soccer profession. He’s in his third 12 months with Bayern Munich, turning into an integral member of the German champions.

Davies can also be big to the Canadian males’s nationwide group program and is the central determine in a golden era of expertise on the cusp of qualifying for the World Cup since its solely look in Mexico in 1986.

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“He’s been on some large levels, so I don’t assume it’s his first rodeo taking part in on large events,” Canada head coach John Herdman mentioned. “He can be reminded he has to play the sport not the event. That’s the important thing message for Alphonso: If he performs the sport and actually commits to the whole lot he has to do in that pink shirt with these group of males, then the gang will include him and we all know that.

“He’s excited to be again, I can sense it. He’s smiling, he’s laughing and who wouldn’t be, it’s a child’s dream, isn’t it? Commonwealth Stadium and 50,000 folks right here, his household and his second; what a second for the child and nicely deserved. He shined the highlight on our sport final 12 months once we didn’t have an excessive amount of to smile about, so he will get his second and I’m hoping he takes it.”

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Canada at the moment sits third within the Concacaf standings with eight video games remaining within the ultimate stage of qualifying. A win in opposition to Costa Rica on Friday and one other in opposition to Mexico on Tuesday would go a protracted approach to getting Canada into the 32-team World Cup event in Qatar.

The highest three groups within the eight-team group earn a berth into the World Cup, whereas the fourth-place group advances to a home-and-home playoff with a group from one other area for a further spot in Qatar.

Coming to Edmonton in November was a strategic transfer for Canada Soccer, hoping to make the most of the cooler temperatures and draw followers to the stadium, largely, to observe Davies.

“This implies rather a lot, that is the primary time I’m again taking part in in entrance of my household and associates,” Davies mentioned. “I simply excited to play right here, I’m excited to see the stadium full and I’m excited to play in my residence city. My dad is de facto excited for the sport and I’m completely happy he will get to see me play stay. He simply tells me to play and have enjoyable. My mother doesn’t know soccer that nicely, however she watches the video games.

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“There can be a little bit little bit of butterflies, however on the finish of the day, as soon as the whistle blows, then the main focus can be on the group and our process forward of us, which is to get the three factors.”

Canada has but to lose via the primary six video games of the ultimate qualifying spherical with two wins and 4 attracts. That is the primary time in a quarter-century Canada has performed within the ultimate spherical of qualifying and the group continues to develop in confidence via every worldwide window.

“That’s been a part of the storyline internally, we wish to be a group that places dread in an opponent, that they’ve to consider us the way in which we used to have to consider groups, whether or not that’s the attacking weapons that we acquired, or the physicality.” Herdman mentioned. “They know that we’re not going to again down from any second, any combat or any scenario. Costa Rica, we have now to get via that. That’s an enormous three factors that we have now to get after after which a possibility to take the crown of the champions of Concacaf (Mexico) right here in Edmonton.

“If we come out of right here with six factors, there can be much more worry as we come via that second a part of the spherical, groups will respect us in a method they’ve by no means revered us earlier than. That’s what’s on the road for us.”

Electronic mail: dvandiest@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @DerekVanDiest