John Herdman, on the brink of a historic accomplishment for Canadian soccer, addressed the national sports media Sunday but warned not to look too far ahead.
Canada is on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since Island players Ian Bridge, Jamie Lowery and George Pakos played in the 1986 World Cup in this nation’s lone appearance.
“Ninety minutes in Costa Rica is all we have on our mind,” Canada head coach Herdman said via Zoom from the national team training camp in Florida. “That match is everything at this moment.”
It takes place Thursday in San Jose, Costa Rica (7 p.m. PT on Sportsnet). Win and world No. 33-ranked Canada will be competing in the World Cup finals in Qatar in November. A draw against world No. 42 Costa Rica, combined with a Honduran victory over Panama the same day, will also end Canada’s 36-year drought.
“We keep writing new chapters in this story and creating a new [storyline] of Canada as a footballing nation,” said Herdman. But he refuses to count it done until it’s official.
“It’s one game at a time. We are playing a Costa Rica team that is in a must-win situation at altitude in hot conditions,” said Herdman.
And again without prodigy Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich, who has been out since January because of myocarditis, a heart condition that popped up after he contracted COVID-19. Davies missed the past three Canada games and will miss the next three.
“He is a young man who is frustrated because he is a guy who has been told to be still,” said Herdman.
“We are desperate to have him be part of this experience. We are working on it with Bayern Munich for him to experience the moment [of qualification].”
Even on the sidelines, Davies will provide inspiration. And Canada is now secure in the knowlege it has the kind of depth that can make up for such a big loss as Davies on the pitch.
“We have been growing massively on this journey,” said Herdman.
Leading Canada is undefeated in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying at 7-0-4 and is four-points clear of both world No. 12 Mexico and the world No. 13 U.S., which are tied for second place at 6-2-3. Panama (5-4-2) is fourth and Costa Rica (4-3-4) fifth. The top three from the eight-team final round will advance to the finals, with the fourth-place CONCACAF side playing a side from Oceania in a last-chance qualifier.
Canada closes out Sunday against Jamaica at BMO Field in Toronto and in Panama on March 30.
