Canadian men make a mental note as they get their minds set on Mexico

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This article was published 15/11/2021 (1736 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EDMONTON — There is no question the Canadian and Mexican squads that will meet here Tuesday night for their latest World Cup qualification match have talent, so winning might come down to something else entirely.

“It all comes back to mentality. We’ve got weapons, they’ve got weapons. There’ll be a hell of a fight out there and it’ll be close,” John Herdman, Canada’s coach, said Monday.

Tuesday’s match, the second and final time these two teams meet in this 14-game qualifying round for Qatar 2022 in this region, could be even more mentally taxing than a normal game against a closely ranked opponent, with heavy snowfall and well-below-freezing temperatures expected.

The result could determine who finishes the calendar year at the top of the World Cup qualification standings, depending on what happens in the United States’ visit to Jamaica the same night.

Canada is coming off a 1-0 win over Costa Rica on Friday, a victory that was something of a reflection of how far the Canadians have come since qualification began. The team was left scratching its head following its opening qualification match back in September against Honduras, a 0-0 tie that had Canada wondering where it would end up.

But the Canadians have gone unbeaten. When Costa Rica held them to a 0-0 score line through a forgettable first half on Friday night, Canada’s belief it would win never swayed.

“That’s where the confidence is at,” Herdman said.

A veteran Mexico side arrives in Edmonton on the heels of a 2-0 loss to the United States on Friday night, after which coach Tata Martino said his team lost its intensity, leading to criticism from the country’s media over its lack of humility and ferocity.

A wounded team can be a dangerous team, which Herdman and his players will have to guard against while committing, in particular, to their defensive assignments. But Canada’s brimming belief could also be the difference-maker that propels the team to its first win over the Mexicans since 2000.

“We believe in our squad, we believe in the quality we have and we don’t fear anyone,” defender Sam Adekugbe said.

Tuesday’s game should be more a more open affair than Friday’s was, with Mexico more likely to press the Canadians than Costa Rica. The Canadians are prepared for the approach, and it won’t change they way they play, though they could benefit from make a couple of changes to the starting lineup, by bringing in help for Stephen Eustáquio in the centre of midfield and reinstating Alistair Johnston, who was out of the starting 11 on Friday for the first time in these qualifiers.

“We’re aggressive, we believe in our strengths, we’re not of the mindset we’re going to sit back and just absorb pressure,” Adekugbe said.

There will be more than 50,000 fans in the stands for the game on Tuesday night, but Canada got an early visit from a particularly notable support a day early. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was in Edmonton on Monday to announce a child care deal between Alberta and Ottawa, stopped by the Canadians’ practice to wish the team well.

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“I just said to the lads, I said, ‘We’d stop a training session for Katy Perry or the prime minister,’ ” Herdman joked to Trudeau, in a —moment posted on social media by Canada Soccer.

“Well I’m so sorry to disappoint you that I’m not Katy Perry,” Trudeau responded, before speaking to the squad and receiving a jersey with his last name and the No. 22 on its back.

The meeting was a “key moment” for the team, Herdman said, but with a chance at top spot in the group with a win over Mexico, Canada has all the encouragement it needs.

“It’s just a great opportunity for our team, our country to step forward,” Herdman said, “and make a statement.”

Laura Armstrong is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @lauraarmy