Preview: CanMNT to face Curaçao in 2022 FIFA World Cup tune-up match

The Canadian men’s national team are *finally* back in action on Thursday evening with a 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League game, as they’ll face a deceivingly tough test in Curaçao on Thursday evening at BC Place in Vancouver. The match is Canada’s first since World Cup Qualifying ended in March when Les Rouges finished atop the Octagon and punched their ticket to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks for the men’s national team after a pair of friendlies scheduled for June 5 were cancelled. Their initial friendly against Iran was cancelled following backlash from many regarding geopolitical issues between the two countries, and then their make-up game against Panama was annulled following a player-led protest over compensation and other issues.

“It was a tough decision for us on the team,” CanMNT veteran Atiba Hutchinson told media on Thursday. “We had a lot of our fans that were looking forward to that game to come out and support us … it took a lot for us, but in our eyes, we felt like we needed to make a stance, and we felt that we truly believe that was the right thing to do as a group.”

“It’s been an emotional week,” added head coach John Herdman. “I get it, but I also recognize that Qatar is just around the corner. This wasn’t how we expected it to go this week, but they’re back focused and hopefully we can get back on the pitch and start inspiring people again.”

The World Cup is just over five months away and there’s only a handful of opportunities remaining to get Canada set for its first World Cup since 1986. With morale having taken a dip amid the ongoing controversy, Canada’s game Thursday night against Curaçao carries an even greater significance – an opportunity to shift the focus back onto the field, back onto tactics and lineup decisions.

In a sense, Nations League games are essentially glorified friendlies, as Manchester City midfielder Kevin DeBruyne would put it. But for Canada, Thursday’s game means so much more as the buildup toward Group F play in Qatar against Belgium, Croatia and Morocco further nears.

Barring a drastic change in events, the match will proceed, which means that Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies will play his first game for Canada since November after a COVID-related heart issue kept him out of the last two windows. It’s a chance for Herdman to deploy a lineup similar to the ones fans will see at the World Cup later this year, with a strong squad called into action.

And Curaçao, who are ranked 86th in the world, presents an intriguing test, as they enter the fixture with momentum after beating Honduras 2-1 on Monday night.

First of all, there’s quality in their squad. Former Premier League players like Vurnon Anita, defender Cuco Martina and midfielder Leandro Bacuna are leaders for their side, while MLS fans will recognize Columbus Crew goalkeeper Eloy Room.

There’s also a heavy Dutch influence with a few of their players competing in Netherlands’ top-flight, the Eredivisie. Their rise in recent years has produced three consecutive Gold Cup trips and nearly a berth in Concacaf’s Octagonal stage of Qatar 2022 qualification. They are the eighth highest ranked team in Concacaf.

Like Canada, Curaçao have had no problem finding the back of the net, with 19 goals in their last 10 matches. They’re also coming into the game warm, having played two games already in this competition – including a win over Honduras earlier this week. Canada, on the other hand, have not played a match since March and the fact they’re at a crossroads with Canada Soccer’s federation may also be a detriment to the team.

But if there’s one thing that’s certain, Herdman will do everything in his power to ensure that doesn’t happen.

“I’ve got a team talk ready for them tomorrow, and I’ll tell you what, if they’re not ready for this game after that—,” said Herdman, with a grin on his face. “We’ve got a very talented Curaçao team coming here. These last two days I’ve been bringing them back to reality: this is going to be a tough match, a really tough game against this team.”

Kickoff is at 10:30 pm ET.

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CanMNT Predicted Starting XI

(4-4-2) Borjan; Johnston, Vitória, Miller, Adekugbe; Buchanan, Eustáquio, Hutchinson, Davies; David, Larin

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Betting Lines

Canada (-715) | Curaçao (+1400) | Draw (+550)

All odds courtesy NorthStar Bets | Check out their special offer for new customers today!

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(Lede photo via Canada Soccer/Flickr)