sa国际传媒 will not get to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar one point at a time. But when those single points come on the road in CONCACAF, you take them.
That鈥檚 exactly what sa国际传媒 has done in drawing 1-1 at mighty Azteca Stadium in Mexico last week and 0-0 against Jamaica in an all-Commonwealth duel Sunday on a bumpy pitch in Kingston to sit fourth in the final round of qualifying.
鈥淚 would have loved to have gotten three points here [Kingston], but we took two away from Jamaica and stayed undefeated and that鈥檚 not easy to do on the road,鈥� Canadian head coach John Herdman said in his post-game online press conference.
鈥淚 was happy with the way the boys came through tonight with all the players we were missing, but at the same time the commitment of the group to get out there in difficult conditions and just give everything. The Jamaican team was solid. That鈥檚 a tough team to play against. 鈥�
Road games have always been dodgy for sa国际传媒 in CONCACAF, even ones like Sunday鈥檚, played without fans in the stadium due to pandemic restrictions in Jamaica.
鈥淚t was difficult, but our players put a shift in and we came out with the point and we鈥檒l take it,鈥� said Herdman.
鈥淲e rely on build up and strategies and transition, but it was a tricky pitch. Yet the boys showed they wanted to play to their style and identity, and came away with a good point. And I think this is a good point. We will rue missing two more, but Mexico and Jamaica are tough places to get a point.鈥�
Now come three consecutive home games, beginning with a crucial one on Wednesday at BMO Field in Toronto at 4:30 p.m. against Panama, tied for second place in the group. Costa Rica and Mexico visit the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton next month.
鈥淥n our way home for three home matches. That鈥檚 what we鈥檝e been waiting for, to have our fans lift us up and push us through these next three games,鈥� said Herdman, whose Canadian side has a win and four draws in the first five games of the CONCACAF qualifier.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to being back in our home country. Finally, we get to start making it difficult for our opponents as well. You鈥檝e got to win your home games. These three games mean everything to the players 鈥� to feel the love from our country. Our fans are behind us.
鈥淚t鈥檒l be our time to take it to another level and play in the conditions we want to play in. We鈥檙e excited. It means a lot.鈥�
sa国际传媒, with a dynamic new generation of players performing in the best leagues in Europe, is looking to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since the heavily Island-tinged team played in the 1986 World Cup in sa国际传媒鈥檚 lone appearance.
sa国际传媒 is in the final round of CONCACAF for the first time since qualifying play for the 1998 World Cup in France. The top-three teams from the final round of CONCACAF, which concludes on March 30, will qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the fourth-place team advancing to an at large, last-chance qualifying tournament.
