On what was to be a memorable night in Canadian soccer, most of us were left scratching our heads as to why this match was not televised. Apparently Saint Lucia was not well-equipped to broadcast a feed, or able to produce an actual soccer pitch for that matter. The game was played in a Cricket bowl. Hard to believe FIFA allows country's to participate who do not have the resources available to keep up with the basics needed at the pro level. I'm surprised they found a ball.
With no pictures available anywhere, a quick search resulted in finding a live radio stream of the game, kudos to canadasoccer.com for the link. It felt like a time warp having to listen to the game without video, the voices were over modulated and most of the time drowned out by the noise in the stadium. Huddled at my computer trying to focus in order to hear the play-by-play, what I could make out was Canada dominated possession and was attacking at will.
This did not have the feel of a World Cup qualifier, a better comparison would be a pick-up game put together at the last minute. Sportsnet were the first to produce video highlights and judging from the footage shown, I was not far off with my description of the atmosphere being rather amateur. From kick-off it became clear it was going to be one-sided.
Simeon Jackson recorded the first hat-trick in World Cup qualifying for Canada since Alex Bunbury accomplished the same feat almost twenty years ago, joining the exclusive club. All three goals coming before the break as the Canucks jumped into the early lead and never looked back. Stephen Hart was forced to make a handful of changes to his side and I was happy to see some of the younger players given a chance to prove their worth. Adam Straith was impressive filling in for Kevin McKenna on defence, even chipping in with a pair of assists.
It was difficult to get accurate statistics through the live stream, the announcers were constantly correcting themselves as I’m sure the information was hard to come by given the conditions they were forced to work under. Iain Hume scored a pair, as did Olivier Occean to give Canada seven on the night. Many were unaware that the lopsided victory set a Canadian soccer record. It was a shame no one was able to see it live.
Everyone expected Canada to dominate the group and anything less would have been a real catastrophe for soccer in this country. The community is in place for a huge fan base but the entertainment value has been the main reason people have been staying away. Poor results and the trend of underachievment when it counts have also contributed negatively to the poor following of our national program, because lets face it no one likes to back a loser in this hockey driven environment. There are not many diehards like myself willing to put up with the constant failure at international tournaments, I do it because I love the game too much and want to see it succeed in this country. Plenty of room is still available to jump on the bandwagon if anyone is interested, we could use the support.
Three wins out of three with Puerto Rico up next at BMO Field on Tuesday, Canada looks set to cruise into the third round of qualification. I’m enjoying the new format CONCACAF has introduced. It gives Canada more games to play and a great way for the players to build chemistry with one another. Regardless of the level of competition that it brings, this blowout victory is exactly what the team needed to boost their confidence for the remaining games left in the group and beyond.
More results like the one last night will only help spread the word nationally and hopefully get more people on board supporting the team. Soccer is still trying to build a reputation in Canada, despite being the most played sport in the country. We are a society that takes pride in our multi-cultural identity and heritage, but unfortunately it is a double edged sword when it comes to soccer. It irks me to see people cheering for the country of their birth instead of the country that gives them their livelihood, but that is what makes Canada so great, the freedom of expression and free will. Instead of cheering for one, why not cheer for both and show your appreciation to this wonderful country of ours.
I will never forget the night of lucky number seven, when Canada played the role of soccer giants and pummeled their weaker opposition into the ground. I’m starting to get the feeling this could be the start of something special for the sport in the Great White North. Keep it up boys, slowly you will have the support of an entire nation willing you to victory and one day in the not to distant future World Cup qualification will be achieved.
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