Day-After thoughts from another impressive road victory for the CanMNT over El Salvador
The CanMNT capped off a January window to remember with a tidy 2-0 win over El Salvador on Wednesday. Here's my day-after thoughts from that one.
It doesn’t get much better than that for Canada.
9 points out of 9, three 2-0 wins in a row, all without your best player - it’s safe to say that the CanMNT blew expectations out of the water with their play in this January window, one they capped off on a high note with a big result in El Salvador on Wednesday.
Now, thanks to that, they’ve not only got 1 foot in Qatar, but they are currently one of the hottest teams in the world at the moment, arguably the story of this World Cup qualifying cycle.
Entering the ‘Octagonal’, the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, it felt like Canada would do well to contend for a top 4 spot, with making it to the World Cup via the intercontinental spot being a fair goal, and anything above that seen as a bonus.
11 games in, however, that feels like a forgotten concept, as not only is Canada all but guaranteed a spot in Qatar, with their magic number down to just 2 with just 3 games to go, but there’s a strong chance that they head there as the top-ranked team in CONCACAF, possibly even as a pot 3 team.
Who would’ve imagined that a few months ago? Not many, that’s for sure.
But after their most recent performance, one that caps off a run of 3 memorable victories in this window, it’s hard not to believe in their ability to finish the job they’ve started here.
It was one thing to go out and beat Honduras away in the opening game of this window, because while it was Canada’s first win in the country in over 3 decades, this Honduras team is last in the Octo for a reason, and their performance in this game reflected that.
Then, it was certainly a lot more impressive to beat the 2nd-placed US at home, but even then, it’s worth noting that this US team has struggled away from home this final round, diminishing the shine of the victory a tad.
But to then cap off the window with a convincing 2-0 win in a hostile road environment against a stingy El Salvador team, becoming just the 2nd team in 6 games to win in the country this Octo, that’s huge.
It might not seem like a big deal on paper, as El Salvador are 6th place in this round, well behind Canada and unlikely to qualify, but don’t be fooled by that. They might not have the game-breaking talent of some of the other teams in this Octo, but are well-coached, and have proven to be one of the stingiest teams in this round, especially at home, where they enjoy a massive home-field advantage.
In fact, Canada’s Stephen Eustaquio, who has played in some tough environments in Mexico and Portugal at the club football level, called it ‘one of the toughest’ stadiums he’d ever played after the game, just giving an idea of how the conditions were.
Yet, despite that, Canada held strong, staying persistent as El Salvador tried to hold on, breaking the game open in the 66th minute, and then capping the victory with a late insurance marker in the 94th minute.
And thanks to that, they were able to pick up a victory that might not have captured the imagination of folks the same way that victories over the US and Mexico did, but make no mistake, this sort of result is every bit as important on Canada’s quest to Qatar.
It’s important to stack up wins at home, yes, but it’s even better to be able to snatch a few on the road, and Canada did just that in this one, all but booking their spot in the World Cup in the process.
Another efficient performance:
You just knew it was going to be a cagey performance. In fact, it felt like a prerequisite for this match, given what we’d seen from El Salvador at home so far this Octo.
In 5 games, they’d won once, drawn three and lost once, scoring 2 goals and allowing just 3. And, if you remove a 2-0 loss against Mexico, that record went to 1W-3D-0L, with 2 goals for and 1 goal against.
So it was safe to say that goals, let alone scoring chances, were unlikely to be the flavour of the day, making it imperative that Canada geared up for a fight.
And to give them credit, they did just that. Even though El Salvador certainly fought hard enough to maybe earn a point on most nights, Canada just kept at it, before finding their breakthrough in the last 30 minutes.
That was reflected in the stats, as Canada pretty much controlled the game by most metrics, winning the Expected Goals (xG) battle 1.85-0.37, the shots battle 15-7, the shots on target battle 5-2, all while creating more big chances (3-0), and shots inside the box (8-5).
They might have only tied the possession battle 50-50 (don’t tell Gregg Berhalter that), yet as they did in the other games in this window, they were ruthless whenever they got the ball, and stifled their opponents without it.
It might not have been pretty, but it was once again a masterful exercise in efficiency, and thanks to that, they were able to pick up the victory.
And if you’re Canada, you have to be happy with that.
As they’ve started to learn throughout this window, not every game has to be a Picasso, so while they might look back fondly on big wins over El Salvador (September) and Panama (October) as their most dominant performances, it’s no doubt that these sort of efficient wins like the one on Wednesday will be the ones that will give the most joy to the coaching staff.
Yet, you have to give full credit to Canada for being able to put them together.
In a game like this, it would’ve been easy to let ego dictate the game plan and try to break down El Salvador’s low block in possession throughout 90, but instead, Canada tried for 60, and realizing that it wasn’t working, actually then switched to more of a counter-attacking set-up for the last 30, where they found both of their goals.
Too often, teams will be stubborn in an idea of how to play, or a certain blueprint for results, but one key thing about this Canadian side is that they don’t seem to mind adapting based on their opponents, showing off their tactical flexibility.
And right now, that’s allowed them to grab results, which is why they’re currently sitting atop the Octo, having won 6 games in a row now.
Eustaquio and Hutchinson were reunited, and it felt so good:
Atiba Hutchinson and Stephen Eustaquio celebrate Hutchinson’s game-winner against El Salvador on Wednesday (Canada Soccer/Martin Bayzl)
For all of the talk of caginess that was to be expected heading into this game, however, there was one thing that was clear for Canada heading into this game - they needed to win the midfield battle.
Be it by turning it into a dogfight, or by controlling it in possession, with how El Salvador likes to play, the midfield battle tends to be where the game is won and lost, as Canada learned in the last meeting between the two.
And the good news for Canada? It just so happens that they were able to welcome back key midfielders, Stephen Eustaquio and Atiba Hutchinson, for this game, after Eustaquio missed the last 2 due to COVID, while Hutchinson missed the US game with a suspension.
That was massive for Canada, who had just started to see the fruits of the Eustaquio and Hutchinson partnership in their win against Mexico to close out the November window, but hadn’t been able to build on that yet this window.
So when it was announced that the pair would be starting together in this game, it was exciting, as you could only wonder what they could do against this El Salvador side.
Which, it turns out, is a fair bit. Obviously, Hutchinson scored the game-winner, which gives you an idea of how big of a game the pair had, especially when you dive into the numbers.
To start, they were very efficient in possession, where Eustaquio had 1 key pass and completed 51/56 of his passes (91%) on 74 touches, while Hutchinson had 1 key pass of his own and completed 33/36 passes (92%) on 52 touches, helping control the game offensively.
Along with 3 shots from the pair of them, it allowed Canada to constantly push the ball forward in possession, especially after the 60th-minute subs that pushed Hutchinson from more of a deep-lying double-pivot into box-to-box #8s.
But for all of the work they did in possession, they also were very strong defensively, too, as Eustaquio won 6/11 of his duels, had 3 clearances, 3 tackles and 1 interception, while Hutchinson won 7/8 of his duels, (even though he somehow wasn’t credited with a tackle nor an interception).
So overall, it was a pretty solid performance for the pair, who might’ve eased their way into the game as they got used to playing together again, but looked like their usual selves by the end of the game.
And thanks to that, they were able to help grab control of the game in key moments, especially at the end, showing their value to this Canadian team once again, and why they’re one of the more underrated midfield duos in CONCACAF right now.
Bench depth shines through:
So far in this window, the formula was pretty straightforward for Canada in their first two games - come out and sit in a very organized set-up, score early, and then stifle your opponents before grabbing a late goal.
Because of that, they were able to grab those 2 victories without too much fuss, just sticking to their game plan and rolling to victory. That was reflected in the fact that Canada didn’t need to make too many changes in either game, making a few subs, yes, but mostly like-for-like changes to keep players fresh.
In this game, however, things weren’t so straightforward, as Canada just weren’t able to find that opening goal. Not only that, they weren’t really finding the big chances to do so, other than a Jonathan David attempt that was only kept out due to a spectacular save from El Salvador’s Kevin Carabantes.
Because of that, they then turned to their bench in the 60th minute, but unlike in the first two games of this window, where they also made their first subs around then, they really went for the jugular this time around, as they brought on Tajon Buchanan, Cyle Larin and Alistair Johnston, all while changing their formation.
And that was key. Sensing that El Salvador was starting to feel confident and feeding off their home crowd, potentially motivating them for a late push, Canada decided to call in their big guns, all of whom they were resting for this game, but had on standby, ready for their call to action.
That call came, and soon after, Canada had the ball in the back of the net, allowing them to mostly cruise for the rest of the game, giving them a massive result.
But if anything, that’s just a sign of this ever-growing Canadian depth, which can now really change games.
Before, depth was exclusively a numbers game, an exercise to try and fill the bench with enough warm bodies to be ready if something went very sideways. Usually, depth was just a clump of players either warming the bench in Europe, toiling away at some unknown clubs, or with the house favourite - unattached FC.
Now, though, Canada’s depth now consists of players playing and doing damage for clubs in MLS, Belgium, Switzerland and Greece, among others.
And with that, they’re able to rely on that depth, be it to start big games, come off the bench, and just overall help push the standards and competition levels in the group upwards.
It now means that Canada is also able to go into games like this with players like Larin, Buchanan and Johnston, key starters for the team during this run, on the bench, knowing that their starters will do a job without them, and if needed, the big guns will be able to come in.
That depth is talked about a lot, but you can really feel it in a game like this, where Canada got a good shift out of their starters, and then changed the game from the bench, something that previously might not have been possible.
So when looking back at the factors that helped them get to Qatar, while the play of certain stars, their much-improved defence and strong coaching will be highlighted as factors, don’t discount the importance of their depth.
On Wednesday, it allowed them to grab a result, and that wasn’t the only time this Octo that happened, either, as their next-man-up mentality has just seemed to always find a way to shine through in these sorts of moments.
Canada’s Sam Adekugbe (pictured) is one prime example of the growing depth on this team (Canada Soccer/Martin Bayzl)
Looking Forward:
And it’s those sorts of moments that will see Canada carry their flag into Qatar later this year, barring something completely unforeseen.
In an Octo full of all sorts of moments, Canada has been the king of them so far, and that’s reflected with their perch in the standings, where they sit 4 points ahead of the next best team.
It’s been a magical run so far, and this latest window was just another chapter in a long line of ones filled with the sort of memories that will last a lifetime, especially for those following this run along closely.
And the journey is just getting started for Canada. It’s taken a long time to get here, but now that they’re here, they’ll want to keep making noise, continuing their rise up the FIFA ranks in style.
So after a victory like this one, it can’t help but give you a desire to want to dream, especially given that so many Canadian teams have gone into games like that and come out empty-handed.
Not this team, however, who after a rollercoaster ride of a start to their journey towards Qatar, is starting to level out and find an impeccable level of consistency as they near the promised land.