Canada. 2015 Gold Cup Champions. Why not?
It has been quite a long time since the sentence “Canada can win the Gold Cup” has been used with some serious inflection put behind it. Well, not that long ago considering their 2000 win was less than a fifteen years ago. But when one considers the lows that their national team has been through in recent years it feels like a lifetime for Canadian supporters. The stench of the 8-1 pasting at the hands of on Honduras in their final World Cup qualification match in 2012 still hangs high over Canadian skies.
But times are changing in Canada. The Canadian Soccer Association, coupled with the rise of their three Major League Soccer clubs and their youth academies (Montreal Impact, Toronto FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps) has given Canadian soccer a serious boost in the past five years. Improved play in friendlies and in World Cup qualification has Canadian soccer thinking beyond being a minnow in the global game.
The biggest change in the team’s fortunes seems to stem from their players actually getting match time. Canada has at times been referred to as Unattached United for their widespread use of players who are currently club-less. Without a home players were not receiving match-time and ultimately showing up to games out of shape.But 22 of 23 Canada’s players are currently featuring for squads both in North America and abroad (Dejan Jackovic may be the only North American playing in the J-League with Shimzu S-Pulse).
But beyond just match-time it is the quality of players that they are bringing in that should have supporters excited. Of course, the most intriguing players on their roster are forwards Cyle Larin and Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas). Both players have already proven to be valuable for Canada, scoring three goals in their two-game playoff against Dominica. Both Akindele and Larin are fast, can find pockets of space in defenses, and can make their own shot. The last real play-maker that Canada had on either player’s level was Dwayne DeRosario, who was more of a midfielder than a forward.
In a competition like the Gold Cup the best teams can break down stout defenses and find cracks to exploit. Without Will Johnson (Portland Timbers) who was left off of the roster due to just coming back from a knee injury, Canada Men’s National Team coach Benito Florio will look towards Marcel De Jong to facilitate opportunities for Akindele and Larin. Looking at his work with Dom Dwyer and Krisztian Nemeth in Sporting Kansas City De Jong seems to have a good idea at angling balls correctly for an attackers diagonal run to the box.
Left midfielder Russell Teibert (Whitecaps) is another example of the diversity that the Canadian attack can bring. Teibert has proven consistently with the Whitecaps that he can use his pace and his ingenuity to create opportunities for his teammates on the attack. His service from the outside will be critical for Canada if they have hopes of playing in the tournament.
The one big question mark is the defense. Ashtone Morgan has looked solid at times for Toronto F.C. but the rest of his partners on defense have seen minimal time this season. Look for defender Nicklas Ledgerwood (Energie Cottbus) to play a prominent role in keeping a young, untested Canadian defense composed especially against Costa Rica.
Experience is also a big question mark. For years, Canada would bring in the same retreads and achieve the same result. Florio has brought in a much younger roster and while everyone seems excited about it most people just want this team to win. The learning curve is not as steep on the international level as it is at the club level but players still have to adapt to the different styles in the world. Can these players learn in time to take on Costa Rica? That is the question.
For Canada the 2015 Gold Cup is a chance to show that they are no longer a punching bag. Although winning the tournament might be a stretch, finishing in the top four and making the 2016 Copa America is not. Every victory is a sign of how far that they have come. But can they win it all? We’ll have to wait and see.
