While FIFA qualifers offer clearer picture for Canada’s World Cup, injuries still cloud Marsch’s lineup
With only four games to go before Canada’s men begin their home World Cup, including Saturday’s friendly against Iceland at the newly expanded BMO Field in Toronto, the shape of the most important tournament of their lives is becoming clearer.
The team’s composition is the larger mystery.
Since December’s World Cup draw, Canada has known it will face Switzerland and Qatar in Group B. But Canada also drew the winner of a four-team UEFA playoff, which has meant its opening opponent, on June 12 in Toronto, has been a TBD.
On Thursday, the possibilities narrowed to two. Not long after a constantly evolving Canada finished training in the rain, Italy beat Northern Ireland, 2-0, to reach next Tuesday’s playoff final. Minutes later, Bosnia and Herzegovina came back to tie Wales, 1-1, before winning in a shootout.
The finalists will meet in Zenica hours before Canada’s home friendly against Tunisia. The winner will advance to that all-important opener in Toronto and its first World Cup — most shockingly for four-time champions Italy — since 2014.
Canadian men’s soccer players Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi express their excitement on playing at the upgraded BMO field.
Jesse Marsch, the men’s head coach, said Friday that he hadn’t paid attention to the results.
“Honestly, I didn’t really watch it that much,” he said. “I’m really lasered in on making sure we get the most out of our camp and these next two matches.”
That’s understandable, because Marsch faces questions at nearly every position, either because of injury or, more thankfully, hard choices between good options.
Principal among them is the wobbly status of Alphonso Davies, Canada’s captain, who hasn’t played for his country in more than a year after enduring a succession of injuries, including a torn ACL. He’s missing this window with a hamstring muscle strain.
Vice-captain Stephen Eustaquio is also absent after he suffered a blood clot during his own leg rehabilitation.
Davies aside, defenders have been especially beset with long-term injuries. Alistair Johnston and Moise Bombito are in camp but only to train. Alfie Jones had ankle surgery in January. Sam Adekugbe remains sidelined with an Achilles tear.
Promise David, the towering forward, is also out with a ruptured hip tendon.
There is happier news. Nearly all the injured players are expected to be back in time for the World Cup — David is the most likely to miss it — and Marsch’s commitment to depth has seen, in some cases, reserve players assert themselves as lock starters, or something close to it.
Former starting midfielder Liam Millar has returned from his own ACL tear, for instance, but in the meantime, Ali Ahmed has emerged as one of the side’s best players.
“I’m doing everything I can to play for this team,” Millar said. “Obviously, I want to be a key figure. At the same time, I’ve got to realize I’ve been gone for a year. And to be honest, Ali has done very, very well.”
Niko Sigur has also ably replaced Johnston at right back, his preferred position with the national team.
“I know what’s asked of me there and maybe feel a little more comfortable there,” Sigur said.
He was quick to add that he will be more than pleased to play midfield if that’s what puts him on the grass instead of the bench.
Marsch has similar dilemmas throughout his lineup. Even without the complication of injuries, he remains undecided on his starting goalkeeper — Dayne St. Clair will face Iceland after Max Crépeau picked up a minor injury in training — his best defensive combination, the left half of his midfield, and his second and third strikers behind star Jonathan David.
“Obviously there’s been a lot of talk, like, when Alphonso comes back, what am I going to do with Richie?” Marsch said, referring to Richie Laryea, who happened to be sitting beside him.
Laryea looked at him and smiled. Like Ahmed, he’s been one of Canada’s top players lately, arguably its most essential. Marsch could keep him at left back and push Davies up. But then where does Ahmed play? Similarly, if Marsch moves Sigur to midfield to make room for the returning Johnston, does that mean the ascendant Ismael Koné sits?
“The reality is, the competition within the team is really steep now,” Marsch said. “Without being too clever, we have a lot of possibilities of how we can use guys to get the best out of them and to benefit the team the best.”
Time is running out to make certainties out of those possibilities, because if nothing else is absolute, Canada’s deadline is.
It’s June 12, and it’s coming fast.
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