As far as I’m concerned, Canada has already succeeded in its Copa America.
The implosion of the American team (in an easier group than the Canadians) reminds us that reaching the quarterfinals is no easy feat. Especially with a coach in place for only five games.
Jesse Marsch’s men will have to step up a gear if they hope to reach the semi-finals, but everything that comes from here on out will be a bonus.
The scoring routine
In the group stage, the excitement in the opposing box was palpable. I think this is explained by a hyper-awareness of the moment. Scoring a goal in such a competition remains an achievement for a Canadian player.
In its history, the Maple Leaf has only scored two goals at the World Cup (including an own goal against Morocco in 2022) and only one at the Copa America. We are far from the routine of scoring in the championship.
Canadian forwards must remember that they have scored hundreds of goals in their careers. In the Copa, as with their respective clubs, the goals are their usual dimensions and the goalkeepers wear gloves like everyone else and
Easier said than done, I know. That’s where the feeling of playing with house money to play a crucial role comes in. Having a sense of mission accomplished can take the pressure off and allow a return to the goal-scoring instincts that got them where they are today.
A notch higher?
Named captain by Jesse Marsch, Alphonso Davies has attracted a lot of attention before the competition. When it comes to analyzing the three group games, however, his name stands out less quickly.
Both defensively and offensively, Davies has had a quiet tournament so far. There are those players whose main quality is not to get noticed. Davies is not one of them and Marsch must find a way to highlight him. Otherwise, the Bayern Munich defender becomes a player like any other, which he is not.
I’d like to see Davies spend more of his time further up the pitch. Whether that means playing him as a winger or asking him to take even more risks, I think Canada would benefit from seeing him play where his X-factor can make a difference.
It is not by remaining conservative or sitting between two chairs that we will succeed in exploiting it.
Enjoy the moment
As Tajon Buchanan left training in an ambulance, his teammates were certainly aware of the fleeting nature of these special moments in international duty.
Having also suffered a broken leg that caused him to miss the World Cup, Maxime Crépeau knows better than anyone what awaits Buchanan over the next year.
In the meantime, this sad incident may have a galvanising effect on the team. With fifteen players under the age of 25, the group is perhaps still a little naive. Buchanan’s injury instantly offers a dose of perspective to this young group.
As much as the rise can be meteoric, as for Ismael Koné who has just signed for Marseille, the carpet can slip from under our feet without warning.
Seeing one of their own fall in combat, Canadians probably understood the importance of appreciating and living the moment to the fullest. You never know when that opportunity might slip away or if it will ever come back.
Buoyed by that sentiment and the desire to give Buchanan a get-well gift, I believe Canada has what it takes to surprise Venezuela and reach the semi-final.
2024-07-04 15:29:08
#house #money #Olivier #Bretts #column
