Canada advances in World Cup qualifying
Ali Gerba and Dwayne DeRosario scored two goals apiece to help lead the Canadian national team to a 4-1 win and home-and-home series victory against St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday in Montreal.
The win moves Canada into the first group phase of CONCACAF qualifying, where the Canadians will compete in the region's Group of Death with Mexico, Honduras and Jamaica (Mexico will qualify with a win against Belize).
Can Canada advance out of that brutal group? It looks like Honduras and Canada will be battling for the second of two berths into the Hexagonal, where six remaining CONCACAF teams compete for three World Cup spots. Should we not assume that Mexico will advance? Should we assume that Jamaica stands no chance?
What do you think of Canada's chances in the next round? Share your thoughts below.
Ives Galarcep is an American soccer columnist for ESPNsoccernet.com and creator of SoccerByIves.net.
Have a tip, story idea or suggestion? Send it to:
Im conflicted, obviously i want to see my country go ahead but on the same hand I dont want the CSA to think they have contributed one bit to Canadas success (which im sure they will). Should be interesting to see how we stack up against Honduras, we defo have the talent on the team. Itll be close.
Posted by: Ossington Mental Youth | June 21, 2008 at 10:25 AM
There's such a recent history of being jobbed by major ref blunders -- the last gold cup, the last two qualifying campaigns -- that we feel jinxed. With the midfield of Hutchison and DeGuzman, dero and friend attacking, we can compete with anyone. But it's a tough group even without the aforementioned history.
Posted by: jloome | June 21, 2008 at 10:28 AM
If Canada can get past Honduras then I say their in... beating Honduras is no easy task though.
Posted by: SoccerMan | June 21, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Go Jamaica!
Posted by: Andrew | June 21, 2008 at 10:43 AM
I'm glad we're playing the Jamaicans at BMO and not Honduras. It would suck if Amado Guevara beat us in Toronto. Canada certainly has the talent to get through this time. Horrible division to be in though.
Posted by: Will | June 21, 2008 at 11:10 AM
HAHAHA
I didnt want to bring it up but Jloome is right. So very right.
Posted by: Ossington Mental Youth | June 21, 2008 at 11:28 AM
Bye bye Canada.
Posted by: Dr. Modibo | June 21, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Canada's defending is the major question mark going into this qualifying campaign. finally we have some creativity in attack but sloppy defending may be our achilles heal.
Ives, btw I appreciate the Canada articles on this site!!
Posted by: Geoff | June 21, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Jamaica will beat everybody
Posted by: son | June 21, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Jamaica at BMO=home field advantage
Posted by: Mikebsiu | June 21, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Edit:Jaimacan home field advantage
Posted by: Mikebsiu | June 21, 2008 at 12:32 PM
I watched the game last night vs. SVG and the Canucks should have won by 10-0! I am surprised they only scored 4 goals. That said I think the Canadian's semi-final group is a group of death w/o question. Jamaica, Hondouras and Mexico will all be tough to beat at home and away... I wish the Canadians well. They have good players and if they can gel as a team they may very well be one of the two to advance to the Concacaf finals!
Posted by: ag nigrin | June 21, 2008 at 12:35 PM
its a shame bmo doesnt have grass for fifa sanctioned internationals
that place could be a fortress
Posted by: cbr | June 21, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Mexico had some slip-ups in the Gold Cup and has looked anything but dominant in qualifying this far. I wouldn't write them into the Hexagonal yet, but they're definitely the favorites. I think that Canada has a stronger squad than Honduras or Jamaica, but you never know who will be this year's Trinidad and Tobago. Any of the teams could go through.
Posted by: Eric Anderson | June 21, 2008 at 12:54 PM
CMON CANADA!!!!!
Posted by: USvsIreland | June 21, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Cmon DeRo!!!
Posted by: 3vil l33t | June 21, 2008 at 01:28 PM
Two Words: Estadio Azteca.
37c heat, ozone, smog and now with 30% less oxygen.
I get short of breath climbing the stairs there! Have fun guys!
Did I mention 100k rabid fans full of pocket change?
Mexicans have jars in their houses full of 10c and 1c peso coins. Saved up specifically for WCQs. They're pretty much useless for anything else.
Canada? 13k capacity Stade Saputo doesn't really inspire the same awe.
Posted by: Alejandro Ruiz | June 21, 2008 at 01:33 PM
How'd that Azteca Fortress work out for them against Belize? lol
Posted by: LJ | June 21, 2008 at 01:55 PM
Jamaica lacks depth, but on any given day can give a better team a run for its money. The Reggae Boyz are loaded with atheleticism and pace, and with a bulk of its squad made up of naturalized English players with Jamaican roots all playing in the Football League, they really do have a decent first XI.
The problem, as I mentioned, is a lack of quality depth.
Posted by: Mark | June 21, 2008 at 02:09 PM
It will be hard for Canada to get past Honduras. Los Catrachos have a strong team with Suazo, Palacios, and Guevara. I see this group going 1. Mejico, 2. Honduras 3. Canucks
Posted by: Jethro | June 21, 2008 at 02:14 PM
My bad, I thought Mex played Belize in azteca. Still pretty bad though in Houston. They've been beat before though in Azteca, and not by a powerhouse if i remember correctly. I could see Canada pulling a draw out in Azteca.
Posted by: LJ | June 21, 2008 at 02:16 PM
Until someone proves they can go into Azteca and get a result, you have to pencil Mexico into the next stage.
Posted by: Chg | June 21, 2008 at 02:29 PM
100K Mexicans throwing change during WCQ is directly linked to their GDP of $5. Joking...I think its going to be a really exciting group to watch. Especially with the potential of Costa Rica and Trinidad faltering
Posted by: DigzTFC | June 21, 2008 at 03:18 PM
Ummm...did you see the game?
A very well played Cantenaccio by organized and motivated Belize (They never gave up or hung their heads. Mexico could learn a thing or two from them).
Mexico lacked any creativity or vision, but they still got the two-nil result.
Need I mention that they fired their head coach right before qualifiers and their interim coach is doing his best Steve Sampson impression.
Yes, Mexico has lost in Azteca, they're not infallible by any means. But I also wouldn't count them out against the best teams in the world if they're playing at home. You really can't say that about most teams in CONCACAF. Especially when some of them don't even have home stadiums.
Hmmm...I wonder where the Belize's share of the gate will end up in. I'm sure Jack Warner got his piece. "Ubi est mea" indeed.
Hah, funny....too bad Mexico's GDP is actually about the same as their their Fifa ranking. The problem is how it's distributed and rampant corruption by the elite.
Wait...that's not funny at all.
Posted by: Alejandro Ruiz | June 21, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Jamaica, Jamaica!!!!!!
Posted by: Al17 | June 21, 2008 at 07:12 PM
Funny with all this talk about Canada not having a chance in Azteca when Mexico has already scheduled the Canada game to be played in Tuxtla Gutierrez. A place with only 2000 feet elevation as opposed to 10,000 and fresh air to boot. Not to mention a nice big track around the field to keep the peasants with pitchforks a safe distance away.
What you have to remember is that Mexico's best players no longer play in Mexico as they have in past campaign.... therefore the smog and altitude at Azteca is no longer an advantage
Posted by: Johnny Gunnz | June 21, 2008 at 07:29 PM
Obviously this is the deepest group any way you cut it but is there real reason to believe Jamaica will be strong competition this time around? They've obviously struggled badly since qualifying in 1998. Does anyone know if they have a much improved team?
Posted by: Hamm | June 21, 2008 at 08:57 PM
go Belize! ...they'll win on a 3-2 aggregate..have faith!...for canada's sake
Posted by: kra17 | June 21, 2008 at 09:24 PM
The CSA sucks and has done NOTHING for these guys!
If this team can get out of this group it was be great for soccer in this counrty.
Posted by: Mel | June 21, 2008 at 11:01 PM
and as someone else above me already said...Ives thanks for the Canadian content!
Posted by: Mel | June 21, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Mexico won tonight 7-0, so ya, I suppose they're though. ;-)
Posted by: ChrisLav | June 22, 2008 at 02:41 AM
"its a shame bmo doesnt have grass for fifa sanctioned internationals
that place could be a fortress"
Right...it's a shame that they hosted the FIFA U20 WOrld Cup there. I guess it wasn't FIFA sanctioned.
Posted by: dumb | June 22, 2008 at 09:24 PM
The CSA definitely sucks. Why would they schedule a "home" game vs. Jamaica in Toronto? We will be lucky if 1/2 the fans are cheering for Canada. I think Canada is the 2nd best team in this division but their lack of a real home field advantage I expect will once again be the end of them. Luckily there is still the Gold Cup.
Posted by: Ryan | June 23, 2008 at 03:50 AM
I'm now on the No S. African World cup Band Wagon! I sent this letter to FIFA!
I thought sport is supposed to bring us together. It represents an honest and fair competition. A "level playing field". It encourages its supporters to cheer for those who "respect" and demonstrate "integrity" toward fair competition.
The World Cup is being hosted by a country whose Leader does not support these values. S. Africa's President, T Mbeki, does not believe in these values. I say He can't believe because He does not demonstrate this in his dealings. His country should not be rewarded for his lack of "integrity" or for his disrespect of a "level playing field".
The World Cup is expected to be played in a country whose Leader IS NOT demonstrating these core values of sport. What a shame!
Please consider these words.
What a man believes, he demonstrates.
Posted by: Nic D "The Texas 2 Stepper" | June 23, 2008 at 03:43 PM