Jack Todd: Men’s soccer team does it in style in bid for a World Cup spot

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It was supposed to be the Alphonso Davies show. It wasn’t quite, but it was still a memorable Friday night in Edmonton for the Canadian soccer star and a men’s team that seems increasingly likely to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.

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The match ended with a critical 1-0 victory for Canada over Costa Rica, but the reality on the field was closer to 3-0 with Canada possessing possession and the most scoring opportunities.

Canada’s sports media hasn’t quite caught up, but fans have certainly caught up from coast to coast. Months after the women of Canada won the Olympic goal, the men are approaching that venue for the World Cup and doing it in style.

On a frozen field in the city where he grew up, Davies showed only glimpses of the brilliance that has marked him as the best Concacaf player and the best Canada has ever produced. Maybe John Herdman had him playing in the wrong place as part of a two-man midfield, maybe Davies was trying too hard in the city he grew up in, maybe the cold conditions weren’t right for the fluid game Canada wanted to play.

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Be that as it may, the alleged “struggles” Davies endured in the game were relative. The worst was the punishment he was taking, especially at 15 minutes when he was in midfield as a wide receiver hit by two NFL linebackers. Davies stayed in a heap, but the referee pocketed his cards, as he did later when eventual striker Jonathan David was brought down from behind in the area.

This time, the brilliant goal Davies scored against Panama on October 13 was not repeated, arguably the biggest goal ever by a Canadian and Canada’s play of the year in the all-sports category.

Davies is so magnificent, though, that he doesn’t need to score to dazzle. Back in Germany, days after that goal, he set up Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski with a play almost as brilliant, then mimicked Lewandowski’s goal position with a mischievous smile.

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If you haven’t caught Davies and the Canadian men’s team yet, they’ll be back in action Tuesday night against an even tougher opponent in Mexico. With three Concacaf teams automatically qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar, Canada is third with 13 points, with Mexico and the United States tied at 14.

The weather in Edmonton is expected to be even colder than Friday, but Canada has the talent and equipment to pull it off.

We smelled the Gray Cup: It may be a while before the Canadiens sniff the playoffs again, but the Alouettes are headed for the playoffs with a team that has at least one shot at the Gray Cup, although it’s hard to see someone beat the Winnipeg. Blue Bombers this season.

The Als pulled off the feat on Saturday, but they did it against a depleted Bombers team. It took this team a while to get rid of the rust after the CFL restart this season, but they are talented and well trained. Any team with a solid defense and Eugene Lewis and William Stanback on offense should be taken seriously.

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Our intrepid tipster has the Alouettes playing the Gray Cup game. After that, well, it’s the CFL. Anything can happen.

Get an injection: The play didn’t seem like a big deal, but the shot was a beauty. Former first-round draft pick Ryan Poehling has struggled since his dazzling NHL debut against the Leafs, but it seems like it came at the most opportune moment.

When Poehling turned an innocent opportunity into a goal with a quick, hard, and accurate shot against the Red Wings on Saturday, it was a major league play. He’s big, he’s fast, and it looks like he’s in the NHL to stay. On a struggling team, this is the time to give Poehling some great minutes and for the Canadiens to see what he has.

As my friend Grant McCagg pointed out, there was no point taking out fighter Christian Dvorak in overtime and leaving Poehling on the bench.

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Well that was weird: If it was difficult for the Canadiens before, it will be even more difficult if Jake Allen is on the shelf with a concussion for a period of time. Defender Jeff Petry’s role in the play that injured Allen was like his season so far: weird.

Petry hasn’t been as bad as fans think, but it has been a strange season for a player who has been the Canadiens’ main defender for long periods when Shea Weber was out. Now, with Weber almost certainly gone for good, Ben Chiarot is in that role, while Petry has been unable to see his open teammates and has suffered from attention lapses at the oddest moments.

Heroes : Jonathan David, Sam Adekugbe, John Herdman, Eugene Lewis, Trevor Harris, Nick Suzuki, Ben Chiarot, Alexander Romanov, Ryan Poehling, Zach Fucale, Lewis Hamilton &&&& last but not least the one and only Alphonso Davies.

Zeros : Chicago Blackhawks, Wirtz Family, Brad Aldrich, Aaron Rodgers, Bob Murray, Denis Coderre, Claude Brochu, David Samson &&&& last but not least Jeffrey Loria. Now and always.

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