Coach John Herdman named a strong squad Monday for Canada’s upcoming three 2022 World Cup qualifiers, despite the absence of Canadian talisman Alphonso Davies.
Canada faces Honduras in San Pedro Sula Thursday before hosting the United States in Hamilton Sunday. The Canadians then travel to El Salvador for their final match of this international window.
“We look forward to coming home and playing in front of our fans, they have made the difference every time,” said John Herdman, via a statement Monday. “This will be a tough window, but we are strong and will embrace the challenges as we continue to take it one match at a time.”
Alphonso Davies is the only notable absentee, having been diagnosed with the heart condition myocarditis mid-January, after contracting COVID-19. The Canadian winger is recovering with his club, Bayern Munich.
But the rest of Canada’s squad looks strong and includes Lille OSC’s Jonathan David, Club Brugge’s Tajon Buchanan and Besiktas’ Atiba Hutchinson and Cyle Larin.
Canada currently sits atop the Concacaf World Cup qualifying table after eight matches with four wins and four draws. And is hoping to qualifying for its first men’s World Cup since 1986.
Full Canada Soccer Statement:
Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team are excited to be back on the pitch in 2022 as they prepare for the upcoming window in the Concacaf Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The Canada squad will need to take it one match at a time as they face a tough schedule of three matches in three countries across seven days, notably a pair of away matches against Honduras and El Salvador on either side of a home match, presented by Oat Canada, in Hamilton, Ontario.
Canada will face Honduras in San Pedro Sula on Thursday 27 January, USA in Hamilton back at home on Sunday 30 January, and then El Salvador away in San Salvador on Wednesday 2 February. All three matches will be broadcast live on OneSoccer, including TELUS channel 980, onesoccer.ca, Sportsnet and RDS. Fans will find extended coverage across Canada Soccer’s digital channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube featuring the hashtag #CANMNT.
“We look forward to coming home and playing in front of our fans, they have made the difference every time,” said John Herdman, Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team Head Coach. “This will be a tough window, but we are strong and will embrace the challenges as we continue to take it one match at a time.”
With four wins and four draws in eight matches, unbeaten Canada are in first place with 16 points and six matches remaining. From the Concacaf Final Round of eight nations, the top-three nations automatically qualify for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and the fourth-best nation advance to an inter-continental playoff for additional FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Qualifiers.
CANADA SQUAD
The Canada squad features players from professional clubs in 11 different countries, including Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Toronto FC and 2022 Canadian Championship winners CF Montréal. Forward Lucas Cavallini and fullback Cristián Gutiérrez join the Canada squad from Vancouver, midfielder Jonathan Osorio joins the Canada squad from Toronto, while centre back Kamal Miller, midfielder Samuel Piette and off-season acquisition fullback Alistair Johnston join the Canada squad from Montréal.Recent transfers have goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau now at Los Angeles FC in USA, fullback Richie Laryea at Nottingham Forest FC in England, midfielder Liam Fraser at KMSK Deinze in Belgium, and midfielder Stephen Eustáquio at FC Porto in Portugal. Doneil Henry, recently at Suwon Samsung Bluewings in Korea Republic, is now a free agent in the new year. Forward Tajon Buchanan has also recently made his European debut after a 2021 transfer to Club Brugge SV, also in Belgium.
Alongside Canada players at Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal and Los Angeles, midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye stars in Major League Soccer at Colorado Rapids. The rest of the Canada squad are all based in Europe, including six-time Canada Soccer Player of the Year Atiba Hutchinson and Men’s National Team goalscoring record breaker Cyle Larin at Beşiktaş JK in Turkey.
Also currently in Europe are: goalkeepers Milan Borjan (Red Star Belgrade in Serbia) and Jayson Leutwiler (Oldham Athletic in England); centre backs Scott Kennedy (SSV Jahn Regensburg in Germany), Derek Cornelius (Panetolikos FC in Greece) and Steven Vitória (Moreirense FC in Portugal); fullback Samuel Adekugbe (Hatayspor FC in Turkey); and forwards Jonathan David (Lille OSC in France), Junior Hoilett (Reading FC in England), Liam Millar (FC Basel in Switzerland), and Iké Ugbo (KRC Genk in Belgium).
CANADA SOCCER’S MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAM
Canada built plenty of momentum in a landmark year for the Men’s National Team Program that featured a record 19 international matches including FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the Concacaf Gold Cup. Canada posted a record of 13-4-2 with nine clean sheets and a record 55 goals scored. Canada also set a record with eight consecutive wins and reached the Concacaf Gold Cup Semifinals for the first time since 2007.Canada have played eight of their 14 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in the Concacaf Final Round from September through November 2021. To reach the Concacaf Final Round, Canada won their First Round group against Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Suriname, then eliminated Haiti in a head-to-head Second Round series. This marks the first time since 1997 that Canada have reached the Concacaf Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team are two-time Concacaf champions, previously winning the 1985 Concacaf Championship and 2000 Concacaf Gold Cup. This year marked Canada’s 15th participation at the Concacaf Gold Cup since 1991. Along with their first-place finish in 2000, Canada reached the Semifinals in 2002, 2007, and 2021. Across the past five years from 2017 to 2021, Canada are one of only four nations that finished top-six across all four Concacaf major tournaments: fifth place in Concacaf Nations League A, sixth place at both the 2017 and 2019 Concacaf Gold Cups, and a semi-final finish at the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup.
CANADA
GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade)
GK- Maxime Crépeau | USA / Los Angeles FC
GK- Jayson Leutwiler | ENG / Oldham Athletic AFC
CB- Derek Cornelius | GRE / Panetolikos FC
CB- Doneil Henry | Unattached / sans club
CB- Scott Kennedy | GER / SSV Jahn Regensburg
CB- Kamal Miller | CAN / CF Montréal
CB- Steven Vitória | POR / Moreirense FC
FB- Samuel Adekugbe | TUR / Hatayspor FC
FB- Cristián Gutierrez | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
FB- Alistair Johnston | CAN / CF Montréal
FB- Richie Laryea | ENG / Nottingham Forest FC
M- Stephen Eustáquio | POR / FC Paços de Ferreira
M- Liam Fraser | BEL / KMSK Deinze
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Colorado Rapids
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Samuel Piette | CAN / CF Montréal
F- Tajon Buchanan | BEL / Club Brugge KV
F- Lucas Cavallini | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F- Jonathan David | FRA / Lille OSC
F- David Junior Hoilett | ENG / Reading FC
F- Cyle Larin | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
F- Liam Millar | SUI / FC Basel
F- Iké Ugbo | BEL / KRC Genk
