Place in the knockout stage[s] on the line

So the biggest ever match in the 100 plus year history of the #CanMNT takes place in the rather tranquil surroundings of Vancouver Thursday afternoon. When two nations who’ve never managed to win a game between them in the almost 100-year history of World Cup Finals go at it hammer and tongs for a pulsating, blood boiling 90-minutes. 

Plus Hydration Breaks d’accord.

On offer at, don’t dare call it, BC Place Thursday 18h 00 MTL is place in the highly lucrative knock out stages. Which at today’s resell price points is worth more money than a pair of Tier 1 tickets to the World Cup Final.

Your Attention Please Canada

Presuming of course Canada sticks the ball in the olde onion bag more times than Qatar. Otherwise it will be ‘Squeaky Bum Time’ [copyright – Sir Alex Ferguson] for our #CanMNT come Matchday 3.

If all this doesn’t get you immediately reaching for your chemise rouge, and bobble hat ensemble then I don’t know what will finally lock you into the beautiful game in Canada.

“You win World Cups with defence,” is Jesse Marsch’s theory on how teams in World Cups manage to get their hands on the most famous 5 kgs of 18-karat gold on the planet.

Did you hear that Tommy Tuchel? It’s got nothing to do with loading your bench with players who sat their backsides and considerable wallets on a Premier League bench all season. 

Canada’s Believer-In-Chief is not far wrong on how to win a World Cup. Incredibly, each winning nation has scored on average of almost 3 goals in a World Cup Final en route to winning the trophy. 

Getting back to Canada’s opener where Bosnia through the first half were winning set pieces for fun so much for the co-hosts modeling themselves among one of the more difficult nations to beat at this tournament as opined by Alistair Johnston a few days before Bosnia.

I had the pleasure of a cheeky peak at the BBC feed for Canada’s opener. At half time Wayne Rooney & Olivier Giroud -- who would know a thing or two here -- were in agreement that Jonathan David should have put his laces through the ball when presented with that gilt edged opportunity in the first half. He didn’t must do given the same opportunity against Qatar

By the way a rather animated Rooney was incensed there was no penalty when Tani Oluwaseyi was crudely taken out by Bosnian goalie, Nikola Vasilj. Although Vasilj clearly won the ball, it was the follow up that Rooney. Wazza should know about punches as he comes from a family of boxers. 

Let alone that infamous video from about a decade ago when Rooney had the gloves on in the kitchen at home with his old pal Phil Bardsley and in the midst of a night on the ale Rooney was knocked out by his drinking partner.

With all due regard to Larin’s very well taken equaliser I am not sure that image will be the one most fondly remembered and recounted in pubs, cafés and bars in the years and decades to come. 

Instead the defining image will be from the Voyageurs inspired March to the Stadium. An image of which would have moved the most ardent of soccer naysayers across the country. That moment was worth almost as much as the $1bn plus various levels of government have invested in these World Cup Finals. 

Canada has to be their Bosnia second half selves for 90 minutes against Qatar. Not because Qatar represents a dangerous opponent but after the final whistle every time afterwards Canada step on the pitch they will likely be facing opponents better than them. Starting with Switzerland June 24^th.

To overcome Qatar the team has to be far more disciplined and structured in defence whilst been at their clinical best in front of goal.

No more dress rehearsals, no more mulligans.  

Back in 2010 during a special edition of oranges@halftime on THE TEAM 990 I had the utmost delight in having a feature chat with NHL icon Steve Yzerman. In which a significant part of our discussion focused on the similarities of the National Hockey League and the English Premier League. 

Jesse Marsch has leant on Canada’s game to carve out an identity for the #CanMNT. Power down the middle, denying space, speed and guile out on the wings. Only thing missing Jesse is the playoff beards.

We saw this chaos type football in crucial moments during the second half, and but for the poor finishing Canada should have opened with a a win. In doing so improving spirits and confidence ahead of the trip to Vancouver.

The chatter around Davies possible seeing action, and even Bombito at that we can not expect anything close to resembling top level form. With my cameo appearances in our Wise Guys pick up games I am likely more match fit than those two high octane dudes currently.

Staying with the Phonzie theme much has been made in recent days and rightfully so of the Davies pre-match bon mots. As the team gathered around their captain in the locker room prior to heading out onto the pitch in Toronto.

To me Ismaël Koné’s pre-match bon mots were genius. Koné disclosing post game that when speaking with his team mates in the locker room before kickoff his words of encouragement focused on their club seasons. The ups, the downs, the good form the bad form, the injuries type things. Concluding with a feck all that. 

Bosnia is forgotten, something tells me Qatar is going to be rather memorable. 

Most especially me thinks for a player who by his standards in recent seasons was unable to match those incredible highs at his club side or country in his first season at La Vecchia Signora.

Stand up Canada for Ottawa Internationals’ Jonathan David.

Cheers

@NoelPButler / info@orangesathalftime.net