Canada is hoping to create a little distance from Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying

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This article was published 11/11/2021 (1787 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EDMONTON—The word of the week inside the Canadian men’s national team camp has not been “weather,” in spite of the amount of talk there has been about hosting an outdoor soccer game here in November.

It’s complacency, or the risk of it, that coach John Herdman has driven home to his team as it prepares to face Costa Rica on Friday night in the first of two World Cup qualifying matches at Commonwealth Stadium over the next five days.

“We’ve just said, ‘Look, our biggest enemy is the one within, which is the complacency,’ ” Herdman said on Thursday. “We cannot get comfortable that we’re having good results or good performances.”

Canada finds itself squarely in the driver’s seat, perhaps for the first time in this final qualification round. After six games, it has established itself as the team to beat Friday. Costa Rica has World Cup experience, having reached the tournament in five of the last eight iterations dating back to 1990. But Canada is third behind Mexico and the United States in the qualification standings, four points ahead of the Costa Ricans and intent on widening widen the gap.

“We know they’re going to fight but at the same time that’s a lot of expectation against a very good Canadian team,” Herdman said.

Costa Rica will be without starting goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who suffered an elbow injury during a recent game with club team Paris Saint-Germain, as well as FC Cincinnati winger Ronald Matarrita, who suffered a calf injury in camp. Both players featured in all six of Costa Rica’s qualifiers to date.

Canada’s squad is bolstered by the return of starting goalkeeper Milan Borjan and top goal scorer Cyle Larin, both of whom missed the last international break. Larin battled a stomach bug this week that forced him to miss practice Wednesday, but he trained Thursday.

That doesn’t guarantee he will get into the starting 11 against Costa Rica. In Canada’s last four qualifiers, striker Jonathan David has led the charge up front, with Edmonton native Alphonso Davies and Tajon Buchanan backing him up. The Canadians have scored eight goals in those games.

Ike Ugbo, Canada’s newest recruit, could also see time. The 23-year-old, who committed his international future to Canada earlier this month, has scored 22 goals in 42 games over his last two seasons in Belgium with Cercle Brugge and Genk.

“Cyle being off a bit with his stuff and missing a big training (Wednesday), that’s caused us a few little headaches but what a roster to choose from,” Herdman said. “It’s just exciting.”

Goals have been few and far between for Costa Rica, with the team netting just three in six previous matches. Striker Joel Campbell is the biggest attacking threat to Canada, but it’s in the middle of the field where the Canadians will look to throw Costa Rica off its rhythm.

“Their centre of gravity is that centre of midfield,” Herdman said. ‘They’re able to control games through the experience in there with (captain Celso) Borjas and (Bryan) Ruiz.”

Stephen Eustáquio has been a chief disrupter and facilitator in the Canadian midfield of late, but he is on a yellow card and facing a one-game suspension against Mexico next Tuesday if he gets another caution against Costa Rica. Veteran Atiba Hutchinson, who will tie Julian De Guzman’s all-time men’s cap record with his next appearance for Canada, could fill in if Herdman doesn’t want to risk Eustáquio.

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But the coach is not overlooking Friday’s game in favour of Tuesday’s marquee match.

“We have to get after Costa Rica, we can’t even think about Mexico,” Herdman said. “This is the team we’ve got to create some separation from, so we’ll do everything tomorrow to take three points.”

They may finally be in the driver’s seat, but Canada can’t afford to take its foot off the gas.

“If we take three (points), you’re setting yourself up for a massive opportunity against Mexico,” Herdman said. “If you don’t, we’re back scrapping again.”

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