Canada Football World Cup 2022 team preview

The North American losers will hope to score some points during their first Football World Cup arrival in 36 years.

Preceding World Cup appearances: 1986
Titles: 0
Best finish: Group stage (1986)
World Cup record: W0 D0 L3
Goals: 0
Leading win: No wins
Player to watch: Alphonso Davies
Ranking: 41
Fixtures: Belgium (November 23), Croatia (November 27), Morocco (December 1)

Canada’s arrival at the 2022 Qatar World Cup will mark an end to 36 years in the wilderness. The team is expected to fight to make it out of a problematic group that includes Croatia and Belgium but a strong qualifying movement has raised hopes they could yet spring a surprise or two and spread the knockout phase for the first time.

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Canada Football World Cup

Canada has before featured at only one Football World Cup, the 1986 tournament in Mexico. Their historic appearance was marred by three overthrows in the group stages to France, Hungary, and the then-Soviet Union. Participation in the 1986 rivalry marked the high point for Canadian football that would remain unmatched for several periods, until now.

But it also proved a chastening knowledge for the players, with the side unable to score a single goal and yielding five across 270 minutes of action. They were one of only two squads at the tournament not to score a single point, alongside Iraq, who enjoyed a superior goal change to the Canadians.

Canada will hope to recall their qualifying form when they begin their World Cup adventure on November 23 against Belgium, The side topped the Association of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) succeeding group, winning eight of their 14 games and recording shock conquests against the higher-ranked United States and Mexico.

Everything eyes on Davis

Canadians will be looking to the enormously talented Alphonso Davies, 22, for inspiration in Qatar Football World Cup. Typically organized as a left wing-back for his club side, German giants Bayer Munich, Davies is renowned for his sweltering pace, dribbling, and shooting. For Canada, he often plays further forward, allowing him to occupy spaces behind prolific frontman Jonathan David and giving him better chance to dictate attacks.

Already widely stared as the finest player in the CONCACAF grouping of countries, Davies will now have the opportunity to prove his talent on the global stage. His career to date has been ornamented with an array of trophies, including four Bundesliga titles, several national cups, a UEFA Champions League winner’s medal, and, a FIFA Club World Cup victory.

Tough road ahead

Despite the enthusiasm building around Davies and David, also 22, the Canadians are not expected to make it out of Group F given the excellence of Croatia and Belgium. But manager John Herman has called on his players to relish the knowledge of playing in the tournament and urged them to push themselves to their limits against the likes of Croatian star Luka Modric and Belgium’s array of world-class players.

He has said the team has a chance to create a “generational shift” in Canada – where football has often been crowded out by ice hockey and other more popular sports – and “create reminiscences that will last incessantly” for the country’s 38 million people.

While a run to the knockout phase is unlikely, a good showing in the group stage would still herald significant progress for Canadian football as the country makes it to host the 2026 Football World Cup, alongside the US and Mexico. For Davies and David, this year’s tournament will deliver a platform from which they can launch their already well-established careers to even greater heights yet. To know more about Croatia Vs Canada Tickets click here.

From refugee camp to Football World Cup: Davies enjoying Canada mission

When Alphonso Davies runs out onto the turf of the Al Rayyan Stadium to face a star-studded Belgium on 23 November, it will mark the latest step of an extraordinary trip that has taken him from a refugee camp to the World Cup. The fleet-footed Canada and Bayern Munich winger has overcrowded so much into his record-breaking career that it is informal to forget he is still only 22.

At an age when many authorities are still feeling their way into the upper echelons of the sport, Davies is already a seasoned veteran. Four Bundesliga titles, a Winners League winners’ medal, and, a Fifa Club World Cup crown are just some gathered in an expert career that began as a 15-year-old in Major League Soccer.

It’s all a far cry from how the buccaneering wing-back ongoing life. Davies was born at the turn of the century in an immigrant camp in Ghana, where he spent the first four years of his life after his parents fled the civil war in Liberia. “When we went to get our food, we had to step over bodies,” according to Davies’ mother, Victoria, in a grim orientation to life in the camp.

Qatar Football World Cup

To escape the squalor, his parents traveled to Canada, first to Windsor, Ontario, then to Edmonton, Alberta. In a republic where ice hockey is king, Davies started to show huge possibilities with a fall in after-school games at primary school, and his talent was rapidly spotted.

“The child was a gift to the game,” recalled Tim Adams, founder of the after-school league ‘Free Footie’ where Davies first stood out. He joined a football academy in Edmonton and as a 14-year-old he was awe-struck on trial in Vancouver, where he joined the Whitecaps youth scheme.

Then the records started plummeting.

Aged 15 years and eight months, he became the newest Canadian to play in the MLS.

‘ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE

Aged 16, seven months, he became the newest Canadian international, named to the team days after becoming a citizen. In July 2017, Davies over up as the joint top-scorer with three goals at the Concacaf Gold Cup as Canada lost in the circles to Jamaica, who in turn went down 2-1 to the USA in the final.

Craig Dalrymple, his previous coach in Vancouver, compares Davies to France’s teen star Kylian Mbappe “for his power and speed”, but the child admits Lionel Messi is his idol. In 2018, Davies was employed by Bayern Munich in a then-record deal for an MLS player worth up to $22 million.

After a trickle of arrivals in the 2018-2019 season, Davies’ career took off in the 2019-2020 campaign, notably with a typically electrifying recital in a 3-0 Champions League away win over Chelsea. That pandemic-interrupted season over with Davies winning the Champions League in a 1-0 Bayern victory over Paris Saint-Germain, making him the first Canadian international to win the designation.

Football World Cup

Although an integral part of the Canada squad that fit for the Football World Cup for the first time in 36 years, Davies was shelved for several months this year after developing the inflammatory heart condition myocarditis following a Covid-19 infection. Having fought back to fitness, he limped off with a thigh wound in Bayern’s 3-2 win against Hertha Berlin on 5 November, but the club rapidly said his World Cup participation was not in danger.

Davies is enjoying being one of Canada’s team leaders in Qatar even though he admits to nerves about finally playing in a World Cup. “I’m gonna be a little bit anxious (at the World Cup),” Davies said in a recent interview. “But for me, it’s just: We made it to this point for a reason and each one of us has to be confident in ourselves and go out there and show what we have.”

Canada coach John Herdman jokes however that Davies is perhaps secretly thinking of winning the World Cup.

“He exemplifies what this team is about, what this country is about – the confidence, the swagger, the anything’s possible,” Herdman said. “This kid is an immigrant from West Africa, who’s got Champions League trophies, all these Bundesliga titles, and he’s 22 years old. So, I’m sure he’s rational he’s charming this Football World Cup. “And that’s the new Canadian mindset.”

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For the India semi-final, how will England replace a crucial injured batter?

Prior to Thursday’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semifinal against India in Adelaide, England has a selection conundrum.

After being forced off the field with an injury during England’s victory over Sri Lanka in the first innings to seal qualifying from Group 1, Dawid Malan is anticipated to be unable to participate in the semi-finals.

The left-handed number three has been a cornerstone of the English T20I team in recent years, anchoring the top of the order and amassing 1748 runs at an average of 38.84.

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Malan has been around the top of the MRF ICC Batting Rankings for a number of years and has been at the top of that list for extended periods of time thanks to his consistency and volume of runs. He continues to be England’s top-ranked T20 batsman, sitting at sixth in the world right now.

Malan’s expected exclusion from the starting lineup against India presents a selection challenge for Jos Buttler’s team.

The selection committee for England has the following options:

Pick Phil Salt as a direct batting replacement

The only batting cover for England in Australia is the powerful opener Phil Salt. Salt is the obvious choice if a batting-heavy selection strategy is preferred, but there are three other ways he could fit into the starting XI.

As a straight swap at No. 3

In Malan’s situation, Salt could theoretically drop straight into the side.

The benefit of this strategy is that it would prevent England from having to change their batting order at a vital point in the competition.

However, Salt rarely fills that position for his county or franchise sides and has never been selected there for England. If he were to be selected, the squad would then have a top three that was made up entirely of right-handed players.

As an opening batter

Salt like to bat first, where he aims to get off to a quick start with lots of strikes. In his county and franchise T20 career, he has averaged over 150.53, and for England, he has a strike rate of 164.33.

Alex Hales would probably drop to number three if Salt were to open. Hales would be a frightening player to start at three, but shifting him now would be risky because he seems to have rediscovered his form at the top of the order and virtually exclusively opens in the T20 format.

As a finisher

If England decides to play Salt, a finisher position down the order would likely be the best place for him to fit into the lineup.

The Lancastrian’s quick start does make him well-suited for that position, much to how Australia switched Matthew Wade from top-order batter to finisher.

It’s unknown if Salt would rank five, six, or seven, and it would probably depend on the opponents and the circumstances of the game. However, England did put him to the test against the West Indies earlier this year, with Salt being chosen at seven and six respectively on three separate occasions. His ability to fill that role was demonstrated by a fast 57 from 24 balls.

By selecting Salt at seven, England would have the option of moving Ben Stokes up to position three, where he appears to fit better, and they would also be free to promote the dangerous Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, or both.

Replace Malan with an extra bowler

England used a batting-heavy approach during the Super 12 stage, naming four front-line bowlers and then utilising Stokes, Ali, and Livingstone to fill in for the remaining overs.

Buttler’s choice seemed to be a bowling-heavy lineup before to the tournament, as England had regularly named five bowlers in the preceding six months.

Sam Curran is more than capable of playing as the number seven batsman if England decides to pursue such a strategy. To cover this, everyone in the batting order can simply be moved up one spot.

However, they would have two distinct options for the type of bowler they would bring in.

The death-overs specialist: Chris Jordan

Jordan has taken more T20 wickets for England than any other fast bowler, and he can swing a bat as well.

The 34-year-old had been a consistent selection in the team for the previous eight years, but he was dropped in the last year after getting completely destroyed in the last World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand.

In the later innings, Jordan’s pace, variety, and death-bowling prowess would provide the squad another option and free up Mark Wood to attack the Indian top order early.

However, England has performed better than expected at the tournament’s end thanks to a combination of Sam Curran, Wood, and the occasional over from Chris Woakes or Stokes. That formula’s disruption can be viewed as risky.

The left-arm swing option: David Willey

Willey has been on the verge of England’s white-ball roster since Jofra Archer’s arrival knocked him down the list.

Willey is a wicket-taking swing bowler whose primary skill is finding swing and aiming for wickets in the Powerplay. He’s skilled with a bat as well.

It could be alluring to select a player who has the agility to trouble India’s formidable top order.

However, England already has Woakes, Stokes, and Curran as swing-bowling alternatives for those first six overs, so Willey might be viewed as unnecessary.

Willey as a Powerplay bowler, Jordan as a death bowler, Salt as a finisher, or Salt as a top-order hitter. England must make a crucial decision.

The decision they make might mean the difference between appearing in the World Cup Final and taking an early flight home.

England need a T20 World Cup triumph to be a great side, claims Moeen Ali

In addition to challenging England to add another title to the 50-over World Cup they won at home in 2019, Moeen Ali acknowledged that England had struggled to play well at the T20 World Cup.

England also reached the final of the 2016 T20 World Cup and the semi-finals of last year’s competition, but Moeen does not believe their previous success is enough for them to be considered a top-level team. “There’s a lot of talk about us being a great white-ball side and the England team has been really good, but we’ve only won one tournament and it’s important we start winning more as a team and as a country,” he said.

“Then we can really call ourselves a top side. We are a really good side. I get that, and we have been over a long period, but if we’re going to be a great side we need to win more trophies, and when I look back I want to say: ‘Yes, I was part of a great side.’”

Even though they lost to Ireland and advanced through the Super 12s by defeating New Zealand and barely edging out Afghanistan and Sri Lanka following tense run chases, England has not frequently looked that way in this tournament. They are aware that a substantial improvement would be needed if they are to reach another final when they play India on Thursday in the semifinals.

“I don’t think we’ve played well in the whole tournament,” Moeen said. “But we got the job done. We wanted to get to the semis. In the past we’ve played well and got through. This time I don’t think we’ve played well but we’ve got through and the best is yet to come with this side. I don’t think we’ve been near where we want to be, but now’s a great opportunity to put that right. You always talk about peaking at the right time and if you just about scrape through it means you can get better. If we play our best cricket in the next two games I believe we win the World Cup.”

Dawid Malan’s groyne strain against Sri Lanka on Saturday means that England will probably have to alter their starting lineup for the semi-final. Early signs suggest that Phil Salt will replace Moeen directly, though other options are being examined. Team doctors have determined that he does not need a scan, but, while he is still receiving treatment, Moeen admitted: “It doesn’t look fantastic.”

“Mala’s obviously a big miss because he’s a brilliant player in T20 cricket and he has been over a long period of time,” Moeen said. “The great thing with this side is there’s so many options. You can put Ben Stokes at three, you can put Phil Salt at three, myself or whoever, there’s so many options.”

After struggling to have an effect with the bat in Australia, Stokes’ performance against Sri Lanka, in which he maintained composure while those around him lost their wickets, has proven his value to the team.

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T20 World Cup 2nd Semi Final Dravid to consider changes to India’s side for England

India coach Rahul Dravid confesses he will consider making changes to his XI for the upcoming cut-throat semi-final against England at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Dravid’s mounts booked their place in the final four of this year’s competition on a dramatic final day of the Super 12 stage on Sunday, with their contented 71-run triumph over Zimbabwe ensuring they finished on top of their group and advanced to a semi-final clash with England.

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T20 World Cup 2nd Semi-Final India will travel to Adelaide to play Jos Buttler’s side on Thursday and Dravid said he will select an XI for that match that he trusts will suit the situation. That could mean a first appearance at the competition for knowledgeable leggie Yuzvendra Chahal, with the Adelaide Oval pitch generally one that suits the slower bowlers.

T20 World Cup 2nd Semi-Final 

Experienced wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik could also earn a recall to swap Rishabh Pant, with Dravid revealing he won’t make a call on his final XI until he has seen the pitch obtainable in Adelaide.

“I think we have an open mind about everyone in our 15,” Dravid said.

“We believe anybody who comes into the 15 will not possibly make us weaker, the kind of squad we’ve picked. 

“Anybody that we need to pick will not make us a weaker squad.

“Again, we’ll have to go there and see. I watched some of the competitions (in Adelaide) today and I know the tracks were slow and they gripped and they turned a bit. We might be playing on a completely new strip in Adelaide, and the strip we played with against Bangladesh, to be honest, did not spin. It was, again, a dissimilar kind of wicket, and it was played at Adelaide, as well.

“I think I can’t sit here now just after a game and predict what’s going to happen there. 

“We’ll have a pair of days; we’ll go and have a look at that wicket and see what we think it might do. 

“Of course, if it’s slow we’ll play according to those conditions. If we think it might play differently, then we’ll have to put up a squad to match that.”

One area of small anxiety for Dravid is the form of Axar Patel, with the all-rounder having taken just three wickets from four matches at the T20 World Cup so far and yet to donate a score greater than seven with the bat.

T20 World Cup

Axar’s only over against Pakistan at the MCG was hit for 21 runs, while he was once again luxurious against Zimbabwe on Sunday when allowing 40 runs from 3.2 overs.

Dravid said Axar’s form was a slight concern for his side, but the former India captain pointed to the positive influence the 28-year-old had made over a longer period.

“In a few competitions (it is a concern), but he’s had good games, as well,” Dravid noted. 

“That is the nature of this tournament and this arrangement.

“The nature of this format is such that you can get taken apart, particularly on a day like today when they lost a lot of wickets there, nonentity to lose, they could go after it, and he’s bowled well, as well. I think he bowled well in a couple of competitions and took a few wickets in those games, as well, and I thought he bowled a very decent over against Bangladesh just before the rain break. He bowled an over for six runs.

“It can happen in this format. I’m not unavoidably concerned. Yes, he would have liked to have had a healthier day than today, but having said that, he’s been someone who’s bowled well for us over the last period.”

India’s semi-final against England is held at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, with the winner continuing to the final on Sunday against either New Zealand or Pakistan.

Batter Dawid Malan Doubtful for Semifinal Clatter against India

The former world No. 1 T20I batter limped off the field during the Sri Lankan innings and did not return to bat in England’s run chase. Vice-captain Moeen Ali said Malan’s injury doesn’t look decent.

Adelaide:

England batter Dawid Malan is an unsure starter for his side’s T20 World Cup semifinal against India on Thursday after picking up an injury during the team’s final Super 12 game. Malan continued a groin injury in England’s four-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday.

The former world No. 1 T20I batter limped off the field during the Sri Lankan innings and did not return to bat in England’s run pursuit. Vice-captain Moeen Ali said Malan’s injury doesn’t look good.

“He is a great player and has been for several years,” Ali told the ‘BBC’.

“He has been one of our best players. I don’t know but it (Malan’s injury) doesn’t look great.” England, who over second in their Super 12 Group 1, will clash with Group 1 toppers India on Thursday.

“It doesn’t get better and better than playing India anywhere in the world because of the crowds and they are such a big side and force in cricket,” Ali said.

Phil Salt, the only spare batter in the squad, is the likely spare if Malan does not take the field.

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