As FIFA works on its match schedule, Canada’s road to the 2010 World Cup becomes clearer. With the World Cup draw in November, Canadians knew which team they would face in Round 2 of CONCACAF qualifying, as well as the order of home-and-away matches – Canada will host St. Vincent and the Grenadines this June, with an away fixture against the Caribbean nation a few days later. As of yesterday, Canada also knows the order of its first two Round 3 group stage matches – assuming it defeats St. Vincent, of course. When the semi-final round begins in late August or early September, Canada will open with two straight games at home.
With the release of this skeletal schedule, much speculation has already taking place as to whether or not this schedule is beneficial for Canada. As a national team fan, my critique is that this schedule is a mixed blessing at best. With Honduras and Jamaica starting on the road, it would be fair to assume that Canada will host both of these nations in its first two games. In short, this means that Canada will likely play its two easiest semi-final matches right away. The pressure will be on Canada to win these games, as anything short of six points will mean that Canada will have to make up points on the road or against Mexico. Canada may end up playing well away from home, but there is no such thing as an easy match in Latin America.
Adding to the difficulty of Canada’s schedule is the fact that the red-and-white had a similar qualifying schedule for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. In 2000, Canada opened its semi-final group by hosting Trinidad and Tobago in Edmonton. It was clear that this was a must-win game, as Canada lost this match and was quickly eliminated from qualifying. In 2004, Canada also started the semis at home. Playing host to Guatemala and Honduras in its first two games, Canada needed big results in order to advance from this tough group. With a combination of sloppy play and horrible officiating, Canada earned only one point from its opening two fixtures, and it was quickly eliminated from qualifying once more.
On paper, Canada’s semi-final schedule for next year should essentially be the same as it was for 2004 – Canada will open at home against its two easiest group opponents. It is now up to the players and coaching staff to determine whether or not Canada will give a repeat performance of 2004. Given the improved calibre of players at Dale Mitchell’s disposal, it is guaranteed that Canada’s qualifying run will be intriguing and dramatic. With a little luck and a lot of skill, the late summer and early fall of next year will not be Groundhog Day for Canada.
