Canadian men’s soccer team returns home from Jamaica hopeful, but not three points

A new Canadian soccer fan, someone who has watched the men’s team develop in recent months, tuned in to Thursday’s away draw with Mexico and was excited after the fact, could have walked away from Sunday night’s stalemate. against Jamaica feeling a bit. Let down.

A look at results elsewhere after the final whistle, particularly Panama’s 1-0 win over the United States, which knocked Canada out of the top three in the World Cup qualifying standings for the region, would have compounded That feeling.

Canada’s point from a 0-0 draw at Kingston on Sunday is no match for a 1-1 draw in Mexico City just days earlier, but the visitors were still satisfied with the result in hostile territory.

“They have put us down to one point, but have lost two points,” Canadian coach John Herdman said after the game. “You have to win your home games, so I think we will be happier.”

The style of Canada’s last two games could not have been more different.

In Mexico, both teams played relatively fluid attacking football, assisted by a referee who maintained control of the match but was not too quick to blow his whistle. The high press from Mexicans gave Canada more opportunities in the transition, where the fast and creative lineup is known to thrive.

On a warm Jamaican night, and on a field that resembled a grassland, there was little of the liaison play that had given Canada an advantage at Estadio Azteca. Jamaica’s physical approach, typical of CONCACAF matches, gave both teams a choppy performance.

“It’s difficult,” Herdman said. “We trust our development strategies, we trust our transition work. And you know the Jamaican style, it’s very straightforward, second-phase, and then they break your lines. They adapted their style to their conditions here, and I thought they got it right.

“I think for Canada, we had to adapt. We said we needed to put things back a little faster … particularly in the first half. We just missed those races behind that would allow us to be a little more direct. ”

Canada’s best chance of the night came in the 60th minute for midfielder Liam Millar, one of five changes Herdman made to the starting lineup. Alphonso Davies cut a ball into the box from the touchline after a run down the left wing. Millar, alone at the back post, fired a sideways shot into what for a fraction of a second looked like a wide-open net.

The decision to deflect the shot probably cost Millar. The lack of firepower gave Jamaican goalkeeper Andre Blake plenty of time to make the save.

Jamaican fullback Kemar Lawrence, who plays for Toronto FC, gave Canada some scares with his delivery on set pieces, creating opportunities for Kemar Roofe and Junior Flemmings, whose header crossed the net and came off the far post.

“You can say that the quality of the final third was not here today,” Canadian fullback Samuel Adekugbe told the Canada Soccer website. “But we are not going to make any excuses. We have to learn and we have to move on. “

Canada will move to BMO Field for a home date against Panama on Wednesday night, when three points would be a long way for either team hoping to qualify for Qatar 2022. As the coach said, you have to win your home. . games.

Herdman will also have more players to choose from after Richie Laryea, Tajon Buchanan and Steven Vitória served one-game suspensions Sunday for accumulating two yellow cards.