The defeat leaves Canada three points away from first place in Group C of League A, albeit with one game in hand. The last two matches of the team will be held in March 2023. But Canada has higher priorities. Unless Canada Soccer can close three friendlies in September, there are probably only two games left for the Canadians to prepare for the World Cup. A labor dispute prevailed in the first week of the June window, which led to another friendly being canceled, costing the team an extra game and two training sessions worth preparing, so every moment counts from now until November. Here are three things we learned from Monday’s defeat.
Waterboarded
It’s hard to pick anything out of a game where a torrential downpour makes the pitch weak. The players on both sides were constantly slipping, the ball was caught in big potholes in the dribble, something that did not make a fluid game. But that did not change Canada’s strategy. Thursday’s victory over Curacao saw the Reds prioritize quick, direct passes from the sidelines and early crosses, although it seemed to be based on keeping the ball on the ground. When a pitch is as heavy as the pitch at San Pedro Sula, going straight usually allows for more goal opportunities. Canada still had some decent chances, the best of which came through Junior Hoilett after four minutes and then created Ike Ugbo with an amazing opportunity. However, Ugbo had the ball caught in his footsteps in a puddle. It is fair to assume that the normal conditions of the field would allow the striker to score a shot on goal, if not to score. A team adapted to the conditions, played more directly and justifiably won the game. This is necessary if the teams want to succeed on the road to Concacaf. Canada may have had other priorities overnight, but it reminded us that taking these trips for granted can cost any visitor.
Hoilett confirms his worth
There is a reason why Junior Hoilett relies on hostile atmospheres throughout Concacaf. It is a calm presence that constantly produces goods. No other Canadian player has had as many base passes (3), shots (2) and expected goals (0.27) from Hoylet. The 31-year-old was the only spark plug for the side in adverse conditions but he did not let it stop him. It will be difficult to break a lineup when competing with Alphonso Davies, Tajon Buchanan, Cyle Larin, Jonathan David and others, but make no mistake: Hoilett is an extremely valuable player on this team. The final product was not presented on Monday, but most of the time, Hoilett maneuvers regularly in tight spaces and moves the ball to promising places. It will certainly have an impact on the processes in Qatar.
David approaches the scoreboard
Cyle Larin may have broken the all-time record in the men’s national team, but Jonathan David is breathing down his throat. David’s belated consolation was his 21st goal in his 31st game for Canada, which keeps him in third place of all time, but is just three points behind Larin after Monday’s strike. Both attackers were noticeably rusty on Thursday against Curacao, as they seemed to hesitate in the large area when the ball fell to their feet. This was not an issue for David with his unique opportunity on Monday.
