đšđŠ After earning 'physical' reputation, Canada seeks to earn respect as quarterfinalists
Why does everyone act like these guys are carrying around hatchets? PLUS: Tico thoughts
Peru manager Jorge Fossati suggested his team might have to resort to fisticuffs - and depending on how you count headbutts, it kind of did. Chile attacker Victor Davila said Friday it will be âexhaustingâ to cope with their physicality. The way opponents speak about Canada, it sometimes sounds like theyâre more likely to be carrying a mace than a maple iced capp.
Canadian reporters have crunched the numbers, and based on the number of cards issued and fouls whistled, the North Americans arenât even the most physical team that will be on the field Saturday night in Orlando when Canada and Chile face off for a game that will decide which team moves into the quarterfinals.
But still, the fact that Canada - Canada, of all countries! - has gotten a reputation as a team happy to throw a shoulder and shove back when shoved is notable.
Seeing a Canada team that subverts the stereotype of a friendly, apologetic nation is nothing new to Concacaf. The team that went to the 2022 World Cup after topping the regionâs qualification table earned a bit of a reputation as a team that was willing to scrap and played with a bit of bite.
Under new Canada manager Jesse Marsch, itâs no surprise to see the team still showing that fire, adding in an even more aggressive brand of attack early in his tenure.
âI think weâve shown in this tournament that although we try to play very aggressively and physically, that we also try to play very fairly and very disciplined,â Marsch said in his Friday news conference. âThatâs been our emphasis. I would hope thereâs an appreciation for the way the team plays.â
Itâs no small thing to get labeled physical by the other teams in a tournament like Copa AmĂ©rica, and while technical ability and tactical IQ are much more important when it comes to winning a match, the respect another team has for you can influence the game.
Marsch and Canada donât mind being labeled as physical - though they donât want to be called dirty either. The real title theyâre looking for in Canadaâs first-ever Copa AmĂ©rica? Quarterfinalist.
âWe have to be focused every minute, knowing that on one set piece, on one shot, whatever (it may be) they have the quality to score. We canât let ourselves down,â midfielder Stephen Eustaquio said.
âWe donât have the experience we have in Copa AmĂ©rica, but weâre a young group thatâs motivated. Weâre hungry. We respect Chile a lot but wish they know all we want to do tomorrow is compete, and weâre going to fight for our spot.â
Canada are the new kids in the tournament1, but making the knockout stage would be a huge achievement and open up the possibility of going even farther with the likely matchup being a Venezuela team that has had to ride its luck just a bit to get that position.
First, Canada needs to beat a Chile team in transition, yes, but one that still has a playing style it knows well and a mix of veterans from the Golden Generation that won the 2015 Copa América and 2016 Centenario edition, plus some players who represent the next generation of La Roja.
Whether it takes muscle or finesse, Canada can - and probably should - advance from the group.
With the U.S. and Mexico both facing tall tasks to get out of the group, Canada could be the lone World Cup host nation in the last eight of the competition, an accomplishment it could use as motivation in the same way the team trumpeted its status as the top team in 2022 qualification (even if that didnât come with a trophy - or work out all that well).
Unlike their North American rivals, there is little pressure on Marsch to show fans what theyâll get when they see their teams in person in the 2026 World Cup.
Heâs trying to give them a preview any way: A team that is not afraid of any opponent, that wants to play with passion - and, sure physicality - no matter who is on the other side.
Saturdayâs matches
Argentina v. Peru - 8p ET - I might be wrong, but my prediction is this game shows us how good Argentina is when their second-string squad works a Peru trying to get all three points.
Canada v. Chile - 8p ET
Fridayâs scores
Costa Rica 0-3 Colombia - This is Colombiaâs 25th consecutive match it either won or secured a draw.
Costa Rica ended up folding under the pressure of the Colombiansâ attack, spurred on by James Rodriguez, but if youâd told me that in the first four official matches without Keylor Navas, two of them coming against Brazil and Colombia that Costa Rica would make it 300 minutes without conceding, I simply wouldnât have believed it.
Thereâs still a tiny chance Costa Rica could move on, should Colombia beat Brazil and the Ticos smash Paraguay to make up the goal difference. As Austin Miller reminded me yesterday, Brazil beat Haiti 7-1 in the Copa AmĂ©rica Centenario and failed to move on because of a draw with Ecuador and a loss to Peru.
The biggest issue is that in attack Costa Rica has offered nothing. Like, truly, nothing.
Manfred Ugalde, the forward I thought could have a breakout tournament, received one pass yesterday - as pointed out by Costa Rican analyst Jonathan Corrales.
And it wasnât even close to the box!
Live by the tactics of Gustavo Alfaro, die by the tactics of Gustavo Alfaro. Even if Costa Rica ends up returning to Central America with the one point from this competition, thereâs plenty to build on ahead of Nations League and World Cup qualification, but my hunch is it wonât be as easy as Alfaro hopes for his team to âflip the switchâ and play a more balanced match against Paraguay and going forward.
Paraguay 1-4 Brazil
Uh oh, did Paraguay let Brazil wake up? Did they just let Vinicius Junior get going - not just in this tournament but as a Brazil international?! That game Wednesday against Colombia is going to be fun.
This is their first Copa AmĂ©rica because of the cancellation, then non-cancellation of the 2001 tournament in Colombia. Canada was set to attend as one of the invited guests, then sent its squad home when a cancelation was announced and didnât bring them back after the tournament was back on