CANADA CLOSING IN ON QATAR SPOT

Canada are closing in on a place at this year’s FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar after recording three wins from three games during the recently concluded winter break.The Canadians were able to maintain their place at the top of the standings in the third round of the CONCACAF region ahead of more illustrious teams such as the United States of America and Mexico.

If the Canadians seal a berth at Qatar 2022 as expected, it would only be their second appearance at a FIFA World Cup tournament. Their sole appearance was at the 1986 edition in Mexico and it didn’t end well for them. Canada finished last in their group without a single point or a single goal. They lost all their three Group C games at Mexico ’86. Canada began the tournament with a slim 1-0 defeat to France before they recorded a 2-0 defeat to Hungary. Their final group game also ended in a 2-0 defeat to the Soviet Union.

During the recent winter break, Canada picked up nine points from three matches including an impressive 2-0 home win over the United States. The Canadians have not lost in the qualifiers with a record of seven wins and four draws from 11 games. In the first of those three games, Denis Maldonado (own goal) and star striker Jonathan David scored either side of the half-time break to give Canada a 2-0 away win over bottom team Honduras. For the second game, CyleLarin and Sam Adekugbe scored either side of the interval to give Canada a 2-0 home win. In the last of the aforementioned three games, Atiba Hutchinson and Jonathan David scored in the second half to give Canada a 2-0 away victory at the expense of El Salvador.

Canada would seal a place in Qatar with a win at Costa Rica in their next qualifier if there’s a loser in the game between hosts Mexico and the United States who are in third and second on the table respectively.