Qatar vs Canada

Of the 32 countries going to the men's World Cup in about two months, 31 will be wearing new kits. Canada is the exception, and the players are clearly not ...

Herdman and his players are doing their bit to be as ready as they can be. While it was never likely to attract too much of a crowd, there were Canadian fans both here and in Europe who had been eager to attend. Qatar’s engine room was sputtering from the off, but Piette got through plenty of dirty work and allowed his partner to forage forward in those early waves. It looked as though Qatar was giving them space and time, but looks can be deceiving — Canada was the one creating both the room and the time to use it. Instead, according to the men’s team, their latest proposal sat unanswered at Canada Soccer HQ for over a month. Of the 32 countries going to Qatar, 31 will be wearing new kits for the occasion. Larin was a player desperate to take out some club frustrations while on duty for country and he soared to bury the opener. In Vienna, the manager rewarded Samuel Piette’s stellar club form and paired the duo in the middle. Canada’s patience in possession was so smooth and satisfying to the eye. They had Qatar under intense pressure from the get-go, and it was soon clear that the World Cup hosts were unlikely to be able to live with much that Canada threw at them. That the opener originated on the right side but ultimately came down the left side shouldn’t be a surprise; it’s where Canada have been most threatening for a while. But after a fraught post-qualification period highlighted by a chaotic international window in June, [this final pre-World Cup camp](https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/opinion/2022/09/18/after-the-high-of-world-cup-qualification-canadian-coach-john-herdman-breaks-down-the-monumental-challenge-ahead-its-a-sobering-process.html) kicked off on a very high note courtesy of Canada’s most deadly duo, Cyle Larin and Jonathan David.