PREVIEW: CanMNT have eyes on silverware in Nations League ...
PREVIEW: CanMNT have eyes on silverware in Nations League semifinal vs. Panama
by
Charlie O’Connor-Clarke, Digital Content Editor (@charliejclarke)
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There’s another trophy up for grabs in Las Vegas this week.
The Canadian men’s national team continues its quest to lift silverware for the first time in 23 years on Thursday night as it begins the Concacaf Nations League Finals with a semifinal clash against Panama.
John Herdman and co. have had their sights set on this contest for months now, ever since qualifying for the final four in March by topping Group C in Nations League A over Honduras and Curaçao. Now, they find themselves in Sin City with a very real chance of lifting a trophy on Sunday night at Allegiant Stadium.
Before they can think about a possible final against the U.S. or Mexico, though, Canada have to first get past Panama — which is much easier said than done. Les Rouges have brought an essentially full-strength squad to Vegas for this week, with in-form stars like Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Stephen Eustáquio all set to play a role. Likewise, it appears Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies is set to return to action for his country after missing the last month of the Bundesliga season with a hamstring strain.
Of course, last time Davies played against Panama, this happened:
GOAL ????????
ALPHONSO DAVIES.
THE GREATEST LEFT BACK.
IN HISTORY.*
TUNE IN: #CanMNT | ???? TELUS ch. 980 | ???? https://t.co/hishXepRT3
*except Maldini pic.twitter.com/U6ZtgL08ne
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) October 14, 2021
That said, the last time Canada played Panama — at the end of World Cup Qualifying when Davies was absent with a heart condition — the Panamanians won 1-0 in an ugly game, albeit after Canada had already secured their spot in Qatar.
Panama, coached by former Leeds United boss Thomas Christiansen, have been in fairly good form of late with decent results against some difficult opponents. In 2023, they have two wins, one draw and one loss — but a 2-0 loss in front of 80,000 people against Lionel Messi and Argentina four months after they won the World Cup probably isn’t a particularly disappointing result.
RELATED: TIERNEY: Nations League Finals an opportunity for CanMNT to prove they can sustain success
Prior to the World Cup, Panama played a handful of challenging friendlies, and they managed to scrape a draw against Peru, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Cameroon, along with a win over Bahrain and a defeat to Uruguay.
In order to qualify for this semifinal, Panama topped Group B in Nations League A with three wins and a draw, going unbeaten against group stage opponents Costa Rica and Martinique.
This is a very experienced squad, with seven players who were part of the squad Panama sent to the 2018 World Cup. Led by experienced defenders like Harold Cummings, Michael Murillo and Eric Davis, this will be a difficult team to break down. Their midfield tandem could well feature a pair of Major League Soccer standouts in Adalberto Carrasquilla (Houston Dynamo) and Anibal Godoy (Nashville SC), who might be familiar with some of their opposite numbers in the Canadian side.
There’s firepower in this Panamanian side, but Canada will likely expect to see the lion’s share of the ball, needing to be wary of the transitional threat. How exactly Herdman chooses to arrange his team is an interesting tactical question, but recent club form could factor into who gets the start.
Herdman referred to Panama as a “win-it-or-end it” kind of team on Wednesday, noting he expects a chaotic, physical battle on Allegiant Stadium’s narrow pitch.
“I always think this is one of the top two hardest teams to play in Concacaf in the time I’ve been here,” Herdman said of Panama. “When you get a semifinal against Panama, you know this is going to be a hell of a game. It’s not easy.
“The evolution, I’ve seen [Christiansen] has been playing with a back five. We’ve been scouting, and for me I’d always seen him playing in a back four, a typical 4-2-4 with a box midfield. He’s been able to evolve his system into a 3-4-3 — similar principles, just different structure.”
Canada celebrate Tajon Buchanan’s goal vs. Panama. (Canada Soccer/Beau Chevalier)Canada’s own attackers are of course in top form right now; Jonathan David is just off a 24-goal season with Lille, and Cyle Larin scored eight goals in 19 games for La Liga’s Real Valladolid, nearly saving them from relegation. Both players are looking for a big move this summer, so they’ll relish another opportunity to prove their value.
In midfield, Eustáquio’s name is one of the first on the team sheet, but alongside him? Herdman could go with a two- or three-man midfield depending on whether he opts for two or three across the front line. Ismaël Koné was outstanding for Canada against Honduras in March, and he seems likely to have earned another start, but with this possibly being Atiba Hutchinson’s curtain call in a Canada shirt might he get the nod once again?
A few regular Canadian starters have question marks around their fitness, too; Jonathan Osorio, another likely candidate to start under normal circumstances, made his first appearance for Toronto FC last weekend and went 90 minutes after missing six weeks, so he might need his minutes managed. The same could be true for Davies, who hasn’t played a game since April 22. Alistair Johnston should be fully ready after starting Celtic’s final two matches of the season, but he’s another to watch.
Then, finally, there are the potential debutants. Canadian Premier League fans would undoubtedly love to see Dominick Zator or Victor Loturi get onto the pitch in Vegas, and 23-year-old Moïse Bombito might be an interesting defensive option off the bench.
All in all, expect Canada to put their best foot forward for this semifinal. If they win, they’ll take on the winner of Thursday’s other semifinal between the U.S. and Mexico, with the Final being played this Sunday, June 18 (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT, on OneSoccer).
The men’s national team has not won a trophy since the 2000 Gold Cup. This Nations League is the first of two opportunities they’ll have to change that narrative this summer.
PROJECTED STARTING XIsPanama: Mejia; Cummings, Escobar, Blackman, Davis; Murillo, Martínez, Carrasquilla, Godoy; Barcenas, Waterman
Canada: Borjan; Johnston, Vitória, Miller; Buchanan, Osorio, Eustáquio, Koné, Davies; David, Larin
ALL-TIME SERIESPanama wins: 2 || Canada wins: 4 || Draws: 6
Previous meeting:
March 30, 2022 — Panama 1-0 Canada
MATCH OFFICIALSReferee: Juan Gabriel Calderon (CRC) ARs: Juan Carlos Mora (CRC), Henry Pupiro (NCA) 4th Official: Mario Escobar (GUA) VAR: Benjamin Pineda (CRC)
KEY QUOTES“We are more experienced now. We have learned how to play teams like Mexico, Canada and the United States. … The last year, we have changed our way to play, our system, even when many of the players are the same. What you say about Mexico and the U.S., yes, they are the strongest teams in the region, but I would say Canada is at the same level.” — Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen (via translator)
“The trophy, you want that in your hands. You want to feel it. And with that you build more trust that you can win in big moments, and we need more trust to win in big moments if we’re to compete in a home World Cup with the vision of winning it. That’s important to take this moment and just say, the future is tomorrow. We can’t talk about winning big matches at a World Cup at home if we’re not willing to win big matches tomorrow.” — Canada head coach John Herdman
