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HOUSTON — Canada is into the round of 16 for the first time in the country's World Cup history, and its reward? A date on July 4 with Morocco, the 2022 World Cup semifinalists who just eliminated the Netherlands in a penalty shootout.
Not exactly the gift Canada coach Jesse Marsch would have handpicked.
Before Canada's 2-1 loss to Switzerland in the Group B finale, Marsch described preparing for Switzerland as a "horror show." His assessment of Morocco was even more dire.
"Preparing for Morocco is like a gory, horrible nightmare," Marsch said Wednesday prior to Canada's training session. "It's like, I don't want to watch them play. They're too good."
Perhaps the oppressive Houston heat influenced Marsch's vocabulary, but he isn't exaggerating Morocco's threat. Morocco is on a 33-game unbeaten streak and currently ranked sixth in the world in FIFA's rankings.
The Atlas Lions are led by midfielder Ismael Saibari, who Wednesday signed with Bayern Munich after he scored in all three of Morocco's group stage games; Canadian-born goalkeeper Yassine Bounou; and defender Achraf Hakimi. Their passing and control in the midfield is especially exceptional, and allowed them to overwhelm the Dutch in their round-of-32 game.
On the other side, Canada is reaching unprecedented heights after winning its debut World Cup knockout game against South Africa. Star Alphonso Davies is back from injury, albeit in a limited substitute role, while Jonathan David and Stephen Eustáquio head up a robust, high-pressing attack.
And the price of achieving historical greatness is going against an elite team like Morocco. Frightful similes aside, Marsch emphasized Canada is ready for the challenge.
"We want to be here and we expect to be here," Marsch said. "So we know that everybody's going to write us off, and in that is an opportunity. But in the end, we are focused on trying to really be our best for this match and deliver the best performance of our lives, and that can give us a chance."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Facing Morocco is 'gory, horrible nightmare,' Canada coach Jesse Marsch says
Continue reading...
Not exactly the gift Canada coach Jesse Marsch would have handpicked.
Before Canada's 2-1 loss to Switzerland in the Group B finale, Marsch described preparing for Switzerland as a "horror show." His assessment of Morocco was even more dire.
"Preparing for Morocco is like a gory, horrible nightmare," Marsch said Wednesday prior to Canada's training session. "It's like, I don't want to watch them play. They're too good."
Perhaps the oppressive Houston heat influenced Marsch's vocabulary, but he isn't exaggerating Morocco's threat. Morocco is on a 33-game unbeaten streak and currently ranked sixth in the world in FIFA's rankings.
The Atlas Lions are led by midfielder Ismael Saibari, who Wednesday signed with Bayern Munich after he scored in all three of Morocco's group stage games; Canadian-born goalkeeper Yassine Bounou; and defender Achraf Hakimi. Their passing and control in the midfield is especially exceptional, and allowed them to overwhelm the Dutch in their round-of-32 game.
On the other side, Canada is reaching unprecedented heights after winning its debut World Cup knockout game against South Africa. Star Alphonso Davies is back from injury, albeit in a limited substitute role, while Jonathan David and Stephen Eustáquio head up a robust, high-pressing attack.
And the price of achieving historical greatness is going against an elite team like Morocco. Frightful similes aside, Marsch emphasized Canada is ready for the challenge.
"We want to be here and we expect to be here," Marsch said. "So we know that everybody's going to write us off, and in that is an opportunity. But in the end, we are focused on trying to really be our best for this match and deliver the best performance of our lives, and that can give us a chance."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Facing Morocco is 'gory, horrible nightmare,' Canada coach Jesse Marsch says
Continue reading...
