Canada turn to World Cup spotlight: “This team is ready” | OneFootball

By Ben Steiner

MONTRÉAL – The anthem was deafening. Maxime Crépeau, who knows every nook and cranny at Stade Saputo, couldn’t contain his emotions.

As the 32-year-old lined up with his Canadian men’s national team teammates 24 hours after his head coach Jesse Marsch revealed that he’d achieve his childhood dream of playing in a World Cup, he broke down, tears dripping off his face as the crowd drove a passionate French rendition of “O Canada.”

Fourteen years ago, it was at the same stadium that Marsch stood beside him as he put pen to paper on his first professional contract.

Now, Crépeau had 90 minutes to play before next week’s World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.

“I had chills, man, this team is ready and this core, everybody that has been in the program has put everything on the field,” he told TSN after the match.

“This team is ready. We are ready to represent 41.5 million people, man. We don't take that for granted, and we don’t take it lightly.”

Electric atmosphere

The night itself, as grandiose as the World Cup vibes were, didn’t end in the way Canada hoped. They played the Republic of Ireland to a 1–1 draw, taking a lead on an Irish own-goal off a threatening corner kick by LAFC midfielder Stephen Eustáquio, and allowed a rebound after Crépeau’s penalty stop for the equalizer. 

The crowd, though, didn’t seem disheartened. After the match, even the Irish supporters began chanting “Let’s Go Canada!”

“It was all red and white, and the crowd was outstanding,” Marsch said after the match. “As we walked around the field, everybody was loud and passionate, and you could see the love and support for the team. We're going to keep pushing to make this a winner and make this an experience that Canada won't forget.”

Crépeau steps up

While Canada wasn’t able to secure a 10th clean sheet in their last 12 games, Marsch will feel completely justified in selecting Orlando City’s Crépeau as his No. 1 over Inter Miami’s Dayne St. Clair.

The choice, largely based on the team’s confidence in Crépeau and the goalkeeper’s maturity and composure in big moments, was on full display Friday.

The native of nearby Greenwood Park, Quebec, made an impressive save on Troy Parrott’s penalty kick in the 60th minute, showing he can be the key factor in clutch moments, before making a vital stop on Mason Melia’s one-on-one chance in the final moments. 

“He showed his quality again, obviously,” 20-year-old center back Luc De Fougerolles said, on a night where he may have secured a starting role at the World Cup, given the injury to former Colorado Rapids star Moïse Bombito. “Max, he bailed us out today on that penalty save, where we should be better on the second ball, and then the save after, that was unbelievable.”

As much as he gave his team a chance to win, Crépeau also allowed Marsch to look critically at the last few games, without the weight of a loss. In transition moments, Canada have struggled, but Crépeau has been immense – a factor in why he was picked, but also an issue Canada will have to mend against more formidable competition on the sport’s grandest stage.

The Koné factor

While Crépeau’s performance was commendable, so too was Ismaël Koné's, who grew up in the CF Montréal academy and is now off to his second World Cup. 

Koné, typically reserved in media settings, was lighthearted after the final whistle. When asked whether he thought Canada was ready for the World Cup.

“Do you think we’re ready?” he said, a glimmer in his smile after a starring performance. 

“He was winning duels, he's winning headers, he's picking up loose balls, with the ball he's driving and finding actions,” Marsch said of the young midfielder, who he was frustrated with after Monday’s 2–0 win over Uzbekistan.

“This, tonight, was my vision from the beginning for him, as an intensive player that also has a gift of just moving around with the ball that teams can't really match plan for, right? He's an X-factor for us.”

One week away

With two goals from open play, one from a set-piece and a clean sheet from the tune-up friendlies against Uzbekistan and Ireland, Canada can’t do anything but look ahead. 

Even still, as they saluted the fans before heading off to Toronto for the final week of training and the World Cup opener, they weren’t nervous, or even too excited. Simply, they feel ready to represent Canada, with millions across the country set to join the ride in the coming days, if they haven’t already. 

“With this opportunity at this moment in time, our main focus is to capture that by performances, by wins, by success, and we want to give our country something to be really proud of,” Marsch said, ready to put his team up against the world’s best.  

“This team is full of incredible men with incredible stories, incredible talent, and impeccable character. I know Canadians love a winner, and also they love good people, and I think we can, we can show that we can be both.”