Canada became the first team in North America to clinch its berth in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and have reached the tournament for the first time in over 30 years.
With their 4-0 win over Jamaica today, Canada secured the top spot on the CONCACAF table with 28 points. Cand yle Larin, Tajon Buchanan and Junior Hoilett all scored while 88th minute own goal from Adrian Mariappa secured the goalscoring superfecta.
But it’s been Canada’s defense that has gotten them this far. Through 13 games they’ve allowed just six goals. And since the start of the 2022 calendar year, they’ve allowed just one goal.
Now Canada are off to the World Cup for the first time since 1986. As you can imagine, the excitement is in the air in the world’s second biggest country:
WE ARE CANADA! 🍁 WE ARE GOING TO QATAR!#CANMNT #ForCanada #WCQ pic.twitter.com/j6hZYGETak
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) March 27, 2022
CANADA BOOK THEIR TRIP TO THE WORLD CUP 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/3DeOOM5UQf
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 27, 2022
For the first time in 36 years… CANADA HAS QUALIFIED FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦#CANMNT #ForCanada #Qatar2022 @CanadaSoccerEN pic.twitter.com/tx6E6RonY0
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) March 27, 2022
CANADA ARE HEADED TO THE WORLD CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 36 YEARS! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/N15jWvCTYp
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 27, 2022
Perhaps nobody in Canada was more excited than their all-world defender Alphonso Davies. The Bayern Munich superstar was streaming live on Twitch since a medical issue has kept him off the field. And when it happened, he was as emotional as one could possibly be:
Alphonso Davies couldn’t hold back the tears after Canada qualified for the World Cup ❤️🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/AhgDzDCdk9
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 27, 2022
The 1986 Canada national team is actually the only Canadian team to ever make the World Cup. They were trounced that year, finishing dead last in the entire tournament after going scoreless while allowing five goals.
Since then, success in almost any tournament has been hard to come by. They won the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup but that’s it.
It was the emergence of young stars like Alphonso Davies, Cyle Larin and Jonathan David who have turned the country into a legit world power in soccer.
They’ll get their chance to prove their mettle in just a few months when the World Cup opens in Qatar.
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