The stage is set for Canada’s long-awaited return to the FIFA World Cup.
We’re only hours away from the Canadians kicking off their adventure — 36 years in the making — in Qatar with a game against Belgium at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.
But Wednesday’s clash between Canada the world No. 2 won’t just be your run-of-the-mill, David vs Goliath type matchup.
Belgium’s golden generation, led by world-class talents like Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku, is approaching its twilight years. Despite sitting near the top of the FIFA rankings for the better part of the last decade, and even topping the list at some point, the country has nothing to show for its remarkable talent and development.
Confidence is as high as it can be for Canada as they prepare to take on Belgium in their World Cup opener on Wednesday. (Getty Images)
Enter Canada, whose impressive run through CONCACAF qualifying has many labelling their current crop of young stars as Canadian men’s soccer’s golden generation, led by superstar Alphonso Davies and future stars Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan and Stephen Eustaquio.
And while it may be the nation’s first appearance at the tournament since 1986, the players maintain they’re not in Qatar to simply make up the numbers.
“[We’re] beyond excited that we made it to the world’s biggest stage, but I just want to be clear, that we’re not here just to enjoy or participate,” veteran defender Steven Vitoria said. “We’re here to get a job done.”
While the challenges in a tricky Group F will come hard and fast, the players relish the opportunity to measure themselves against some of the world’s best talents.
“I think every player’s dream is to play against the best, and I think everyone is trying to level up to see where they are against the best players and the best teams,” said striker Ike Ugbo. “So I think it’s a good challenge, for sure.”
John Herdman’s squad does not seem short on confidence, either, despite facing down a European juggernaut midweek.
“We don’t hope any more, we believe,” said midfielder Jonathan Osorio on Sunday. “We’re very confident in ourselves. We want to show that we are a football nation, that we can compete with the best in the world.”
Belgium enters Matchday 1 in less-than-ideal form, having lost 2-1 to Egypt in a pre-tournament warmup game last Friday. While the Red Devils expect their leader De Bruyne to be firing on all cylinders to start the tournament, the same cannot be said for some of their other regulars. Lukaku will miss the game after failing to recover from a nagging injury in time, while captain Hazard has barely featured for Spanish club Real Madrid this season, and has not been in his characteristic game-changing form for a long time.
Count out Belgium at your own risk, as this core of players have seen just about everything major international competitions could throw at them, finishing third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and reaching the quarter-finals of the last two UEFA European Championships. Manager Roberto Martinez will be anxious to finally claim the country’s first-ever international trophy after six years on the job, and with his stars still at the peak of their powers.
This is likely to be Belgium’s Last Dance, but will they get their fairytale ending?
“We know we’re coming up against a team that have been together for six, seven years; a team that has grown together, there’s not much they haven’t seen together,” Herdman said on Tuesday. “We’ve got to understand that there are moments in the game where they’ll take control, but we have an element of not fearing certain parts of what Belgium bring, because it’s all new to us.
“There will be a naivety that will work for us, but it can also work against us.”
Canada’s youthful legs will hope to put a damper on the Flemish parade, and their best shot at getting a draw – or an unlikely win – over their opponents will come if they take the game to them, using their speed and counter movements to stretch out the fifth-oldest squad in the tournament.
Belgium looks like it’s clinging onto the past, while Canada has everything to look forward to in the future. The boys in red and white believe they’re ready to take anybody on.
“On any given day, any team can beat anyone,” said David. “If it falls on the right day, of course we can win.”
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves for his fourth career shutout and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on Saturday night.
Nils Hoglander, Brock Boeser and Kyle Sherwood scored for the Canucks, who spoiled Philadelphia’s home opener and the first NHL home game for top Flyers’ prospects Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko.
The Canucks controlled play for most of the game and took advantage of Philadelphia’s defensive breakdowns for a pair of goals.
Samuel Ersson made 29 saves for Philadelphia, which lost its fourth consecutive game (0-3-1) after winning its season opener against the Canucks in Vancouver.
TAKEAWAYS
Canucks: Tyler Myers picked up an assist on a nifty, no-look pass to Boeser. It was Myers’ 1,000th NHL game. Myers also had three shots on goal, blocked a pair of shots, finished the game plus-1 and led the Canucks in total time on ice at 21:54.
Flyers: In another milestone game, Philadelphia captain Sean Couturier played in his 800th career game. However, the veteran centre was demoted to the fourth line and on the left wing by coach John Tortorella before the game. Once the Flyers fell behind 3-0, Couturier was shifted back to centre, but he couldn’t spark the team’s offence.
KEY MOMENT
Vancouver scored twice in 50 seconds in the second period to pull away. Sherwood’s goal was a one-timer off a faceoff win by Teddy Blueger to make it 3-0.
KEY STAT
Minus 11, the Flyers’ goal differential in five games this season at even strength. Through five games they have now been outscored 17-6 at five-on-five. All three of Vancouver’s goals on Saturday were at even strength.
UP NEXT
Canucks: Visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Dobson scored in the ninth round of the shootout to lead the New York Islanders to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri and Anders Lee scored in regulation for the Islanders, and Dobson had two assists. Semyon Varlamov finished with 21 saves.
Cole Caulfield had two goals and Logan Mailloux also scored for Montreal. Cayden Primeau made 33 saves.
Palmieri and Simon Holmstron also scored for the Islanders in the shootout, and Oliver Kapanen and Emil Heineman tallied for Montreal.
Caufield forced overtime with 2:10 left in regulation to tie the score 3-3. It came 2:26 after Lee gave the Islanders the lead.
TAKEAWAYS
Canadiens: Mailloux scored his first NHL goal 59 seconds into the second period to tie the game 2-2.
Islanders: Entering the game, the Islanders’ 33 shots per game ranked third in the NHL but their average of 2.5 goals per game was 27th in the league. Horvat and Palmieri scored 2:26 apart late in the first period to give New York a 2-0 lead.
KEY MOMENT
Varlamov’s glove save on Caufield’s breakaway 5:44 into the second period kept the score tied 2-2.
KEY STAT
New York limited Montreal to 24 shots in the win. Through their first four games before Saturday night, the Islanders had held opponents to 29.3 shots per game, which was 13th in the NHL.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: Host the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
Islanders: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland finished 54 holes of the wind-delayed Shriners Children’s Open knowing he’ll have his best chance at winning since brain surgery more than a year ago. Best of all Saturday was being finished.
Woodland had three birdies over his final six holes and extended his bogey-free streak to 28 holes in polishing off a 6-under 65 that gave him a share of the clubhouse lead with Las Vegas resident Kurt Kitayama, who also had a 65.
They trailed J.T. Poston and Doug Ghim by one shot when play was suspended by darkness. Thirty of the 66 players who made the cut earlier Saturday did not finish.
Poston had an eagle during his closing stretch of the second round for a 65, and his only sub-par hole in the third round was an eagle on the par-5 ninth. It put him at 15-under par through 13 holes. Also at 15 under was Ghim, who had four straight birdies and was facing a five-foot par putt on the 17th hole when it was too dark to continue.
Woodland had surgery in September 2023 to remove a lesion on his brain, situated on a tract that caused fear and anxiety. It’s been a long road back of making progress with his health, getting dialed in on the right medication and trying to get his game in order.
He also went back to Randy Smith, the PGA Hall of Fame swing coach in Dallas. Now Woodland is sensing the pieces coming back together.
“I feel a lot better for one,” Woodland said. “That’s a huge help. But I’ve seen some signs. I’ve been back with Randy Smith for a couple months now. I am starting to drive it better, iron play, controlling the golf ball like I haven’t in a long time, which is nice. Then putts start going in, start putting some good scores up.
“I’m excited and happy to be here — and really happy to finish tonight so I can get some sleep tomorrow.”
The third round was to resume at 8 a.m., and Woodland likely will start around 11 a.m. That beats getting up before dawn, which he already has had to do twice this week.
Next to be determined is where he stands.
Harris English and Alejandro Tosti of Argentina also were at 14 under with four holes to play, including the reachable par 4 and the easiest of the three par 5s. Six other players were at 13 under and still had holes to play.
Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., only completed 13 holes on Saturday and sits two shots back of the leaders. Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., is tied for 44th at 5 under. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., is tied for 61st at 3 under.
The wind has calmed substantially from Friday, when gusts approached 50 miles per hour and led to a four-hour delay that caused the stop-and-start and the last two days being suspended because of darkness. A TPC Summerlin course that was all about hanging on is now back to being a test of who can make the most birdies.
“Conditions will be pretty easy. I think you saw that with some of the scores,” Poston said. “Guys are making birdies. So I think it’s just trying to stay aggressive but also stay patient if the putts don’t fall early because there is a lot of holes left.”
The second round didn’t end until about noon Saturday and the cut was at 3-under 139. Among those who missed was Tom Kim, the two-time defending champion who was trying to become the first player since Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic (2009-11) to win the same PGA Tour event three straight years.
Also missing the cut were the three winners in the FedEx Cup Fall — Patton Kizzire, Kevin Yu and Matt McCarty.
