Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
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TORONTO — After missing out on Thursday’s chance to qualify for the World Cup due to a loss in Costa Rica, Canada will look to secure their ticket on Sunday at home when they host Jamaica in Toronto.
For midfielder Stephen Eustaquio, Canada will present a well-stocked roster.
“The whole country will play on Sunday. It’s not just us,” he said after a late afternoon practice session on Saturday.
When asked about his message to fans, Eustaquio’s response was concise. “Be ready to go to Qatar,” he said.
The goal is, when it is 6 p.m. Sunday, for BMO Field to become the center of a national celebration, like King George V Park in St. John on September 14, 1985. Canada then defeated the Honduras 2-1 to confirm its place in its first – and only – World Cup, that of Mexico in 1986.
All tickets have been sold for the 19th qualifier en route to the Qatar World Cup 2022. Thursday’s 1-0 defeat against Costa Rica is Canada’s only loss in the qualifying phase – the Canadians posted a 13-1-4 record through three qualifying rounds.
The method to qualify is very simple.
The maple leaf, which leads the final phase of qualification with 25 points (7-1-4) needs only one point to secure its place at the World Cup, which means that a victory or a draw is sufficient. . The Canadians can also get their bye if Costa Rica (5-3-4, 19 points) doesn’t win Sunday’s duel in El Salvador.
The Canadians, who have a three-point lead over the United States and Mexico (both 6-2-4, 22 points) will end this international window on Wednesday visiting Panama (5-4-3, 18 points).
The top three nations will represent North America, Central America and the Caribbean in Qatar next November and December. The team that finishes in fourth place will cross swords with the representative of Oceania in an intercontinental play-off which will constitute a last chance to carve out a place at the World Cup.
With a victory on Sunday, the Canadian men’s team will ensure they finish first in Concacaf in qualifying.
“To be honest, I think we are the best team in Concacaf right now and we have to act like that,” said Eustaquio, who plays for FC Porto in Portugal.
The weather forecast calls for minus four, felt minus 12, with a possibility of snowflakes at the time of kickoff at 4 p.m.
“It’s going to be a crazy night of soccer,” predicted Canadian team head coach John Herdman.
“We cannot back down in front of the adversary. We will take out the knife between the teeth, he added. Taking into account the weather conditions, this will level the level of play. This will allow them to impose their robust game.
Herdman said the loss suffered at the hands of Costa Rica was “the comeback we needed.”
“Let’s get back to business…at the end of the day, it’s a group of guys that will have to get Canada through to the World Cup and to do that, they’ll have to work hard against Jamaica on Sunday. All this in conditions that I consider really difficult.
It was a disappointing qualifying period, to say the least, for Jamaica (1-6-5, eight points).
Canada was ranked 73rd in the world at the start of the qualification process in March 2021 while Jamaica was ranked 47th. Today Canada is 33rd and Jamaica is 62nd.
The Maple Leaf will have to do without the services of midfielder Mark Anthony-Kaye, who is suspended due to his two yellow cards during the match against Costa Rica.
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