One match at a time is the mantra now with the Canadian Men's National Team as the celebrations would have ended early on Friday night as they are now in the cauldron that is Panama City, Panama. The anticipation of the away fixture in this head-to-head clash in Group C of World Cup Qualifying already has been sufficiently built up after an evenly matched game that saw Canada take three points 1-0 and go atop the group with seven total.
It will not be easy going into Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama City as their ascending national side will have a full house ready to bring the 'red wave'. Canada will need to call on all of their experience to overcome this unique advantage and remain focused on the task at hand. Stephen Hart has done well through qualifying to keep his team mentally sharp and making sure everyone is committed and pulling in the same direction, and this game will the their biggest test yet in qualifying.
Estadio Rommel Fernández
With injuries and suspensions already playing a part in the storyline for this game, Canada will need to once again rise up against Panama. They did well on Friday night to deliver and on Tuesday any result will go a long way in getting to the next round of World Cup Qualifying. The roles might reverse in terms of approach, with Panama being able to be more adventerous, but Canada's biggest strength has been defending and doing it in numbers. A scoreless draw seems very unlikely on this night and finishing chances will once again be paramount if Canada has any hope of coming away with any points.
Keep Thinking
Friday night's match was one of the best battles that has taken place at BMO field in it's time as the national stadium. In the early going it was all Canada as it took Panama essentially the entire first half before they were able to turn the tide back in the other direction in the final forty-five. Canada's two good chances off of corners that were not converted will once again raise concerns as in this away match will not be able to count on many opportunities.
Dwayne De Rosario's goal and the manner in which it came could be seen as a chink in the armour of Panama as their loss of focus could have come down to the likes of overconfidence, fatigue or just lack of preparation. Whatever it was, Canada did not slip up and may hold the advantage in mentality. However, aside from a tough team, this will no doubt be put to the test in a hostile environment.
It is always part of the discussion when playing in CONCACAF, but now more than ever Canada needs to be mentally and physically prepared for the trio of hurdles that teams face when heading into Central America.
Kevin McKenna
At BMO Field, somewhere in the area of 500-1000 Panamanians were able to make their voices heard across the pitch with non-stop bouncing and raucus support that has unfortunately come to be expected when Canada plays at home to teams from this region. Now it will be 30,000 of them, with even a handful beginning early outside of the hotel where Canada is playing. The intimidation factor cannot and should not be underestimated - this will be the most hostile environment, under the most meaningful circumstances, Canada has played in some would say in over a decade.
With that in mind, one cannot help but have concern on who will be mediating this battle as such an environment can without question influence even the most neutral of referees. Canada should go into this match expecting they will not receive the benefit of the doubt and prepared to keep their heads cool when calls do not go their way.
Julian De Guzman
The last of the three is environment, certainly amoung other Central America pitches, it is better than most. If there is one small advantage from the first point in terms of intimidation is that this multi-use facility will have a significant buffer from the crowd and field due to a track running around it. A small reprieve, but something none-the-less.
Panama has proven themselves as a strong, physical team who should be able to push Canada to the limits. In the second half on Friday they began to link up smartly in tight spaces and this is something Canada's defenders will need to be weary of. Panama nearly scored in the 82nd minute on a play where both De Rosario and Jazic followed the ball and missed the overlapping Roman Torres.
David Edgar
The news broke that Canada will be without two important pieces of their 1-0 win. Up top Olivier Occean is dealing with an ankle injury and did not even make the trip, while Will Johnson is suspended for yellow card accumulation. While this is a blow that two in-form players are gone, fortunately there is some depth, but it will require tweaking the team's approach.
Canada has struggled against teams who bunker down and play for the draw. At home this approach made sense for Panama but one would expect in Panama they will open up and use a more adventerous approach. It will be interesting to see if the roles reverse or if Stephen Hart is willing to go toe to toe. Canada doesn't have two clinical finishers like Luis Tejada and Blas Perez, but has more threats front to back in that McKenna and Hainault are dangerous off corners, De Rosario, De Jong and Bernier can score from free kicks and Ricketts and Jackson have pace to stretch defenders by smooth through balls from Atiba Hutchinson or Julian De Guzman.
Canada did show an ability to switch directions and get bodies forward and back, and this is where it might make sense to get Tosaint Ricketts whose pace is very good and could be the difference on the counter, more involved. Patrice Bernier will likely see time as his experience, fitness and technique can fill in for Johnson. The last piece Hart might want to consider is Marcel De Jong, perhaps at full back. His ability to cross and proficiency on free kicks could be advantageous in a game where Canada might not get many chances.
Stephen Hart
In the End
It is now the point in qualifying where the past means nothing, and every game moving forward is the most important game for Canada. They did well to earn the required three points at home on Friday, but to get through this round, and to even qualify for the World Cup, they will need to start carving points off of their Central American and Caribbean opposition. Panama are one of the toughest teams right now, both technically and physically, and adding in what will no doubt be a massive boost of home support, should have the advantage. However, Canada did prove something in their first meeting and that is they dominated an entire half and were better at winning balls back and maintaining possession. It will be their toughest test no question about it, but if they come out as prepared mentally and physically as they did on Friday, should be able to leave Panama with a critical result.
Prediction
Canada 1 – 1 Panama
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