PREVIEW – The CanMNT will face Croatia after losing 1-0 to Belgium. Their performance was terrific from Canada, but they were not able to capitalize on their scoring opportunities. This is while Croatia will look to do better than their tie against Morocco on Sunday morning.
The CanMNT Will Face Croatia in the FIFA World Cup
CanMNT
Canada was able to pressure Belgium’s defence with their crosses and through balls. They also gave Belgium limited opportunities to score. It was a loss, but it did prove to the Canadian players that they belong here. This is what Canadian defender, Alistair Johnston, said about the game according to Peter Galindo of MLS Soccer:
“We know that we can play at this level,” Johnston said. “I think having that now in our back pocket after playing against Belgium in that opening game has only helped the group. The morale is unbelievably high, and I’ve never seen that after a loss before.”
It is good to know that the CanMNT’s morale is still very high despite losing against Belgium. Canada had the chance to take the early lead, but Davies’s penalty was stopped. They will now look to make history and get a result against Croatia.
Croatia
The Croatians will feel disappointed with the draw against Morocco. They only got two shots on goal and did not generate many offensive opportunities. This is what the Croatian head coach, Zlatko Dalić said about the game according to Football 365:
“We should have gone forward more,” he said. “We were afraid of the counterattacks. We were very cautious not to make a mistake.”
Nikola Vlašić almost scored late in the first half, but his shot went straight to the goalkeeper. They also almost scored in the 52-minute, but Morocco’s defence was able to kick the ball away. The runner-ups of the 2018 FIFA World Cup will now look to change the narrative as they face Canada.
The CanMNT Will Face Croatia on Sunday
"Our strengths are all over the field." ✊
Stephen Eustáquio says #CANMNT have quality all over the pitch.#WeCAN pic.twitter.com/bWlcyl5Mj4
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) November 26, 2022
READ MORE: The 2022 CanMNT World Cup Preview: Looking to Make History
PREDICTION: CanMNT 1 Croatia 1
Of the three teams, Croatia might be the hardest team for Canada. The midfield for Croatia will be a test. This is what Herdman said about Croatia’s midfield according to the Canadian Press:
“The best in the world,” Herdman said. Then he said this of Luka Modrić as being “arguably the generational midfielder of his time.”
Canada will once again be the underdog against Croatia just like they were against Belgium. However, the CanMNT know that they can generate a lot of scoring chances against Croatia. They will be looking to make a point against Croatia. Yet, the Croatian midfield is one to be feared and something Canada should be wary of. A draw may not be what both teams wanted, but it is a result that can very realistically happen in the first-ever meeting between these two sides.
The CanMNT also has speed, which can trouble Croatia in the way they troubled Belgium earlier this week. It is also something Croatia will need to be wary of. The CanMNT will face Croatia on Sunday at 11:00 AM ET. That game will take place at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar. Fans can watch the game televised live in Canada on TSN and CTV at 11:00 AM ET. It will also be televised in Quebec on RDS.
