Canadian men qualify for 1st World Cup since 1986 with shutout victory on home soil
CBC
Canada celebrated the sport of soccer Sunday as the Canadian men won qualification to the 2022 World Cup.
They did it in style, hammering an outmatched Jamaican side 4-0 on a frigid day at BMO Field to improve their CONCACAF qualifying record to 14-1-4 over three rounds and end a 36-year absence from the men's soccer showcase.
"I think this country, they never believed in us. Because we've given them nothing to believe in," said coach John Herdman, the architect of the Canadian men's success. "They believe now.
Qatar awaits this November and the rest of the world better watch out.
"We are the best team in CONCACAF," said midfielder Jonathan Osorio.
"Now people believe," added the Toronto FC veteran, shivering in the cold. "And it's incredible how much people believe. And it's only going to get better. Now we want to go to a World Cup and really make a statement."
WATCH | Canada books ticket to World Cup with blowout win over Jamaica:
Canada, which only needed a draw Sunday to qualify, has outscored its opposition 54-7 while posting 12 clean sheets in qualifying.
Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan and Junior Hoilett scored as the Canadians had their way with the Reggae Boyz before a loud and proud sellout crowd of 29,122. A Jamaican own goal in the 88th minute padded the score. And the margin of victory could have been far more lopsided.
WATCH | Larin scores beauty to open scoring for Canada:
For Herdman, who led the Canadian women to back-to-back Olympic bronze before taking over the men's team in January 2018, it was a tipping point.
"We're a football country," he said. "We've got a kid [Alphonso Davies] winning Champions League finals. We've got players all over Europe. We've got young kids coming through. And we've just qualified for a World Cup. This is a legit football country.
Canada (8-1-4, 28 points to lead the final CONCACAF qualifying round) dominated from the get-go, stacking scoring chances like firewood. The home side was up 1-0 after 13 minutes and 2-0 at the break. It could have been 4-0 midway through the first half when the sun made its first appearance.
Jamaica (1-7-5, eight points) spent the afternoon in reverse. The game was done and dusted after the first half.
Shekai Mills-Knight, a freshman running back for Ole Miss, will earn some attention Thursday night when his Rebels take on the Miami Hurricanes in an NCAA semifinal football game in Glendale, Ariz., but he first made news a decade ago as a grade-schooler deemed too big for the local little league.
Not so long ago, the prospect of two Canadians meeting in Italy’s Serie A would have seemed an unlikely turn. But on Tuesday night in Reggio Emilia, in the crisp, anxious minutes before the whistle blew and host Sassuolo dug in against Juventus, Ismael Koné and Jonathan David stood on opposite sides of the pitch, pretending not to know each other.
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