Adam Straith of Victoria has been too busy to watch the women鈥檚 World Cup of soccer currently unfolding across sa国际传媒. But he can be excused. He has his own World Cup to aspire to, continuing tonight at BMO Field in Toronto with the second leg of sa国际传媒鈥檚 first-round CONCACAF qualifier against Dominica.
The Bays United and Lower Island Metro product started on the back line, and played the full 90 minutes to earn his 23rd cap as 109th-ranked sa国际传媒 began World Cup qualifying play for Russia 2018 last week with a 2-0 victory in Dominica.
The winner of the two-game set advances to the next round in CONCACAF qualifying. sa国际传媒 is well poised to move on, but can鈥檛 afford to take anything for granted against 168th-ranked Dominica. Not getting past this stage would be humiliation of the highest order, and the 2-0 victory in the first leg can hardly be considered a blowout against a nation with a population of less than Saanich.
鈥淲e need to take care of business [tonight],鈥� said Straith, by phone from Toronto.
鈥淒ominica was defensively organized and very athletic. People who have never experienced the atmosphere [of sa国际传媒鈥檚 away games in CONCACAF] can鈥檛 really understand what goes on down there. There are never any easy games. We would have liked to have gotten more goals, but we got the job done.鈥�
It is part of the broader storyline of trying to get sa国际传媒 to its first men鈥檚 World Cup since 1986.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 been our goal for years,鈥� said Straith.
鈥淲e鈥檙e tired of hearing about [1986] and want to be the group of players that changed the narrative and changed the perspective in this country, and finally have the national team qualify again. Things are coming together. We see the support for the [women鈥檚] World Cup in this country, and for the men鈥檚 World Cup, it would be even more so.鈥�
Canadian head coach Benito Floro has shown great faith in Straith, including national team call-ups during a recent stretch in which the Islander was unattached to a pro club before signing in January with Fredrikstad of the Norwegian league.
鈥淚t helps when you have the backing of the coach. It鈥檚 very special to know he has confidence in you. I hope I have rewarded him with good performances,鈥� said Straith, who kept in game trim by working out by himself and also with clubs in Victoria.
Meanwhile, sa国际传媒 must forge on in Russia 2018 qualifying without 43-time-capped midfielder and Juan de Fuca youth association-product Josh Simpson. The Belmont Secondary graduate and Lower Island Metro product announced his retirement this month at age 32 following a multiple-bone leg break three years ago while playing for Young Boys in the Swiss Premiership, from which he could not recover. It is one of the most devastating career-ending injuries suffered by an Island athlete in any sport, and Simpson鈥檚 absence is keenly felt.
鈥淓veryone still feels it [Simpson鈥檚 absence] on the national team,鈥� said Straith.
鈥淓specially me, coming from the same city, and who remembers first seeing Josh play at Royal Athletic Park. He was class all the way, and our best player on the national team for a few years. It鈥檚 heartbreaking what happened. It was such a freak accident. Josh has a young family and can now move forward to the next stage in life.鈥�
With all-time leading Canadian scorer Dwayne De Rosario also retiring, the mantle of leadership has fallen to a new generation led by the likes of the Oak Bay High-product Straith.
鈥淎t 24, I鈥檓 not that old, but I鈥檝e been playing for the national team for six years,鈥� noted Straith, who was pleasantly surprised at the team hotel Monday in Toronto by a visit from dad Kane and brother Manny.
鈥淚n ways, I鈥檓 part of the group that some of the younger players look up to and talk to.鈥�
Because of the harsh winters, Norway plays the same April through October season as the MLS. You might think a Canadian would feel right at home with that in Fredrikstad.
鈥淏ut not if you grew up playing in Victoria, though,鈥� quipped Straith, recalling that the Island and Lower Mainland play soccer during the fall-through-winter- into-spring period typical through most of Europe.
