Among Concacaf elite, Canada primed for Gold Cup after favourable group D draw

Football

Published 14.04.2023

Among Concacaf elite, Canada primed for Gold Cup after favourable group D draw

Though it failed to gather a single level on the 2023 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the Canadian males’s staff will enter this summer season’s Concacaf Gold Cup as one of many real high favourites to win the continental competitors.

Canada firmly established itself among the many high international locations within the Concacaf area when it completed in first place in qualifying for final yr’s World Cup, profitable eight of 14 video games with solely two losses, and going undefeated in opposition to conventional regional heavyweights Mexico, the United States and Honduras.

Now it’s time for the Canadians to show themselves once more on the Gold Cup, a event they’ve gained simply as soon as, method again in 2000. Luckily for John Herdman’s facet, they’ve a reasonably simple path to the knockout spherical after Friday’s official event draw.

Ranked No. 47 on this planet by FIFA, Canada was drawn into Group D alongside Guatemala (No. 116) and Cuba (No. 165). Canada’s third Group D adversary would be the still-to-be-determined winner of a preliminary spherical of qualifying matches: both Trinidad and Tobago (No. 104), Guyana (No. 170), Grenada (No. 175) or non-FIFA member Guadeloupe (unranked).

.acf-block-preview .instagram-twitter-container {
width: 340px;
margin: 0 auto;
}

The 12-nation qualifying competitors runs from June 16-20. The Gold Cup kicks off on June 24 and wraps up on July 16.

The different Gold Cup first-round teams are:

– Group A: United States (13), Jamaica (63), Nicaragua (140), Preliminary spherical winner

– Group B: Mexico (15), Haiti (87), Honduras (80), Qatar (61)

– Group C: Costa Rica (39), Panama (58), El Salvador (75), Preliminary spherical winner

The Concacaf gods had been extremely type to Canada throughout Friday’s draw, which was carried out in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium, web site of the Gold Cup ultimate. Canada was positioned in Pot 1 alongside high seeds Mexico, the U.S. and Costa Rica, and was drawn into the weakest of the 4 teams. Canada prevented drawing the three strongest groups from Pot 2 (Panama, Jamaica and Haiti), the 2 greatest nations from Pot 3 (El Salvador and Honduras) and Pot 4’s Qatar, who’ll be competing at this Gold Cup as a particular visitor.

Mexico wasn’t so lucky, because it was put into the “Group of Death” in opposition to regional stalwarts Honduras, an ever-improving Haiti, and a Qatar staff contemporary off internet hosting the World Cup. The U.S. can’t afford to look previous two-time Gold Cup finalist Jamaica, whereas Costa Rica ought to have its arms full with Panama, who just like the Costa Ricans certified for the World Cup in Qatar.

.acf-block-preview .instagram-twitter-container {
width: 340px;
margin: 0 auto;
}

Herdman gained’t admit it publicly as a result of the very last thing he needs to do is give Canada’s first-round opponents any additional motivation. But the group stage draw couldn’t have labored out any higher for his staff. All three video games are extremely winnable in opposition to a lot weaker opponents, all of whom aren’t even ranked within the high 100 on this planet.

Canada has gained 10 of 13 video games in opposition to Guatemala (with one draw) relationship again to their first assembly in 1977 and has gained 4 in a row. Cuba hasn’t fared a lot better in opposition to Canada, with simply two wins in 15 matches. The Cubans have misplaced six in a row by a mixed 20-1. Even if Trinidad (arguably the hardest staff within the preliminaries) advances to Group D, its document in opposition to Canada is fairly poor: simply 4 wins in 13 conferences.

Herdman’s staff has reached a degree the place it may well rightfully think about itself amongst the elite nations of Concacaf, so there’s actually no excuse why it shouldn’t take all 9 factors on provide from the group stage. Anything much less could be a letdown, much more so when you think about the Canadians are anticipated to play a portion of the group stage at Toronto’s BMO Field. The full event schedule, together with stadium assignments, shall be launched within the subsequent few days by Concacaf.

The knockout stage of the event is when it’ll get very fascinating for Canada. Should the three different high seeds win their teams, the Canadians should journey down a tricky street to be able to win their second Gold Cup: most definitely vs. Jamaica within the quarter-finals, with the potential to satisfy Mexico (within the semis), and both Costa Rica or the U.S. (within the ultimate).

Canada’s close to flawless run within the ultimate spherical of the World Cup qualifiers was spectacular, nevertheless it came visiting a seven-month interval. That was a marathon. The Gold Cup is a dash. The video games happen in fast succession, giving groups little time to arrange for his or her subsequent opponent. The margin of error can also be a lot slimmer. This event shall be a check of Canada’s tactical acumen underneath Herdman, but additionally its psychological energy and its bodily resilience.

Last month, Herdman warned that his staff can’t afford to relaxation on its laurels after its World Cup look and stated establishing Canada because the “Kings of Concacaf” was the staff’s overarching theme in 2023.

“It’s about going proper again to the highest and ending the tip of this yr exhibiting that we’re the very best staff in Concacaf. We might not have the largest participant pool. We might not have the largest budgets. But we’ll be the very best staff and that’s our mission,” Herdman promised.

They’ll get their likelihood this summer season.

John Molinaro is likely one of the main soccer journalists in Canada, having lined the sport for over 20 years for a number of media retailers, together with Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is at the moment the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, an internet site devoted to in-depth protection of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer.