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Canada's World Cup draw not quite the Group of Death, but it's close – The Globe and Mail

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Fans welcome Canada’s men’s national soccer team at BMO Field in Toronto ahead of the FIFA World Cup CONCACAF qualifier match.Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail

We always knew that Canada was going to get worked over in the World Cup draw.

This is a team that’s lost two games in the past eight months. It’s beaten the U.S. and Mexico straight up during that time. But because of the way FIFA ranks national teams (ie. in a way that benefits traditional powers), Canada was left pulling up the rear of qualifiers.

You knew it would probably get stuck with an uphill route in Friday’s qualifying draw. But this is more like going up a cliff face.

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Canada was the last name pulled during an interminable ‘celebration’ of the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. It will compete in Group F against Belgium, Croatia and Morocco.

Belgium is ranked second in the world. Croatia lost in the final of the World Cup four years ago. Morocco gave up only three goals in qualifying and didn’t lose a game.

It’s not quite the Group of Death, but it’s close. Call it the Group of Two Weeks in the Trauma Unit.

In a hint at what the soccer cognoscenti think of Canada’s chances, this was The New York Times’s chief soccer correspondent Rory Smith’s immediate reaction – “Picking up a point would be an achievement.”

The afternoon’s big winner – if such a thing can be said at this point – was the Netherlands. It fell into the gimme group, Group A, with the host, Qatar. This is Qatar’s first-ever World Cup and it only qualified because it’s paying for everything.

England will also be feeling good about its draw – against a mediocre American team, Iran and the eventual winner of a playoff between Scotland, Wales and Ukraine.

The big loser? Italy. It won’t get to play anyone because somehow, it contrived not to qualify.

Spain will feel hard done by that out of all the teams it could have been drawn from Pot 2, it fell into Germany’s path.

But over all, there was a sense of balance in the groups. There are a few obvious favourites in a few obvious groups, but still some room for outsiders.

If you like the sound of that, don’t get used to it. This will be the last World Cup featuring 32 finalists. The next time around, we jump up to 48. What’s good news for Kazakhstan and the Faroe Islands isn’t so great for competitive rigour. In terms of quality, this may be the last great World Cup from start to finish.

For Canada, it’s time to start looking for silver linings.

First off, it is an unknown commodity to the teams it faces. Most European experts will fall into the Rory Smith camp – that Canada is a fun story featuring some promising young players that has absolutely zero chance of doing anything in Qatar.

Teams aren’t as cavalier as the people who cover them. They will be more cautious, especially considering that many of their top players will know firsthand how much of a game breaker Alphonso Davies can be.

Belgium is to 21st century international football what Spain was to the 20th – an outrageously talented group of individuals who cannot figure it out as a team.

Qatar will be the last great ride of Belgium’s cursed golden generation – Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku et al.

There are only two routes for that group in Qatar – a romp deep into the tournament or a total implosion. Because anything less than an appearance in the final counts as an implosion.

Losing to Canada would be a good indication that things are going poorly.

If the best version of Belgium shows up, Canada has no chance. But history suggests the best version of Belgium is a 50-50 proposition on any given match day.

In keeping with the theme of the day – everything must be hard – Canada plays Belgium first, on Wednesday, Nov. 23rd.

Croatia has the pedigree, but it is also getting ragged around the edges. Luka Modric remains its most important player and he’s 36 years old. Thirty-six is like 86 for a box-to-box midfielder. Canada’s remarkable team speed will be the its best hope against the men from the Balkans. Not a great hope against a team this deep and experienced. But it’s something.

Morocco’s the easiest mark on paper, but international soccer matches aren’t played with a pen. Morocco last made the round of 16 back when Canada was last a decent international side – 1986. You just know it already has the game against Davies et al. as its primary target.

Two teams will advance from each group. The bookies have Canada at 250-1 – a long-shot, though not the worst one.

Now that we know the competition, it’s fair to set the goal.

Scoring a goal is the first order of business. Canada’s never done that in a World Cup.

Winning a game against any one of the other three teams in Group F would be a triumph.

Winning against Belgium or Croatia would be a legendary moment.

So, winning something should be the goal.

Is getting out of the group possible? Theoretically.

It would have to mean that at least one of the European bigwigs collapses and that Morocco doesn’t like playing in November or something.

That is to say, Canada doesn’t just need to be as good as it can be. Other teams need to be less than they should be.

Getting out of the group was never likely, but it’s still possible. A lot of unexpected things would have to happen.

But be straight: Two years ago, did you think your local interest in a World Cup draw would extend past which days you should avoid driving in Little Italy? Probably not.

So maybe it’s okay to dream a little.

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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November 8, 2024

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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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November 8, 2024

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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November 8, 2024

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

—

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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