Growth isn’t always linear. That is a motto the Canadian men’s national team have lived by over the last 10 months.
Canada thought they took a positive step forward in October 2019 following a 2-0 win over the US men’s national team at BMO Field. One month later, Les Rouges crashed back into reality after a 4-1 battering by the US in Orlando – both results in the Concacaf Nations League.
That was the game when everyone north of the border asked if this talented group of players was capable of consistent growth or if they’d follow the trend of previous Canadian teams and chase every positive result with a crushing setback.
More than two years later, Canada have emphatically answered that question. They remain atop the Concacaf Octagonal table in World Cup qualifying, undefeated (19 points, 5W-0L-4D record) and on the brink of punching their ticket to Qatar 2022.
The only space left on Canada’s bingo card during an otherwise flawless 12-month period is a win over the US. They’ve already beaten Mexico, earned a point at Estadio Azteca, won in Central America – which was also their first road victory of the Ocho – and have remained unbeaten heading into matchday 10 of 14.
Their hopes of winning will be boosted if Stephen Eustáquio is available for selection, of course. Having missed the Honduras game due to a positive COVID-19 test, there is some hope that the newfound Porto midfielder will, in fact, be ready for Sunday afternoon at Tim Horton’s Field in Hamilton, Ontario (3:05 pm ET | TV & streaming info).
“We are hoping to see him join the squad hopefully tonight or tomorrow," head coach John Herdman said in his Saturday media availability. “The roster at this stage, it's still a work in progress."
Samuel Piette, who started in Eustáquio's place during Thursday’s 2-0 win at Honduras, is injured. That means, depending on Eustáquio's status, it will be up to Atiba Hutchinson, Liam Fraser, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Jonathan Osorio to shoulder the burden in the center of the pitch.
Fraser was tasked with replacing the injured Piette after 39 minutes in San Pedro Sula and delivered that laser long-ball for Jonathan David’s strike to sink Los Catrachos. He was an early substitute for Kaye in October 2019 versus the US and was stellar that night as well. Perhaps a similar fate awaits, but as a starter.
The real conundrum is about Hutchinson. The captain, who turns 39 on Feb. 8, went the full 90 minutes against Honduras on Thursday, and having just recovered from COVID-19 himself, there are concerns whether he can go another 90 on a short turnaround.
Ditto for defender Steven Vitoria. Throughout the entirety of the Octagonal, the Moreirense center back has seldom started three matches in a row, especially on artificial surfaces. Having played the full 90 in San Pedro Sula, that could lead to some rotation at the back if Vitoria isn’t risked.
Of course, they'll remain without Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies after his myocarditis diagnosis.
But the Canadian lineup has always been fluid. The tactical flexibility and depth that's emerged over several months was for these exact situations, especially against the top sides in North America.
"Gregg [Berhalter] is a good coach," Herdman stated. “He is going to try and adapt to what he thinks we are going to put out there. I think he has seen us play different ways and he will have to adapt to that. But they have a strong blueprint. One thing with the US, they have a really good identity and if you give them those inside channels, the [expected goals] from those positions, they are absolutely killers. So we have to manage that.”
Considering how often Brenden Aaronson dictated the first meeting of this round between the nations in Nashville, that could be the key for either side, especially with the USMNT's Tim Weah unavailable. Aaronson scored in the 1-1 draw and was a general menace in the right half-space. That could be a decisive individual matchup, whether it’s Aaronson facing Sam Adekugbe, Richie Laryea or Tajon Buchanan, that will make or break the result.
“It is a really strong team, that is what we get excited about,” Herdman said. “You have got to win those individual battles and then look to manage that space behind your fullbacks. They love that space and those cutbacks into the box."
For all the goodwill that Canada earned from that monumental victory in 2019, they wasted it a month later in Orlando. Nowadays, the Canadians have established enough linear growth to offset one setback, which they’ve yet to experience in this round of qualifying in terms of results.
But the players would certainly prefer if that first defeat didn't come at the hands of their southern neighbors on Canadian soil.
