Thirty five years. It’s been 35 years since Canada won in Jamaica. On Friday, Mauro Biello’s men will have a new opportunity to break the bad luck.
The maple leaf will face the Reggae Boyz in Kingston, in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League. This round-trip series will also allow its winner to qualify for the Copa América in the summer of 2024.
But the challenge is significant. The last Canadian victory in Bob Marley’s country dates back to 1988, a 4-0 victory in a friendly match. Nick De Santis and John Limniatis were in the starting lineup. John Catliff had scored a hat trick. On seven occasions since then, there has been a shortage.
How does Mauro Biello, interim head coach of the selection, explain it?
“It’s CONCACAF,” he says. It’s difficult to play in all stadiums. We have experienced it several times throughout our history. »
It was Biello himself, during this virtual press briefing, who mentioned the difficulty Canada had in winning in Jamaica. He explains that with the variable qualities of the land in the region, “you have to know how to adapt quickly.”
“You have to be mentally strong in these games. The ball can bounce in a funny way, hit your shin [instead of your foot], and you lose control. You must not lower your head then. You have to react the right way, do what you have to do on the play, and move on to the next one. »
“Don’t stray from the game plan,” he insists, speaking to journalists as if he were speaking to his players.
” Stay focused. Do the little things the right way. This is what will give you the best chance of winning this match. »
This is why he convened an “experienced” group for this gathering. The last time the Reds set foot in Jamaica was in World Cup qualifying in the fall of 2021. A 0-0 draw.
Biello wanted to have “a group that lived these moments”, especially so that they could act as a “bonder” on the pitch.
“You can’t be out there and not know what to expect. We know it will be very difficult. »
Hours before Mauro Biello’s press briefing, Canada’s under-17 team was wrapping up a particularly difficult U17 World Cup in Indonesia. A 2-0 defeat against Spain in the curtain-raiser. A 3-0 defeat against Uzbekistan in the second match. Then, on Thursday, a bitter 5-1 loss against Mali.
We’re telling you about it, because Biello’s son, Alessandro, was there. The CF Montreal academy midfielder will likely return from Asia with some very bad memories: He received a red card in the 38th minute of the first match for an unsportsmanlike gesture, which also got him suspended for both subsequent meetings.
“He worked so hard to get this opportunity, but he didn’t get his chance because of the card,” laments Biello Sr., who also says he wasn’t able to watch all the matches due to work.
“We also know that there is work to be done for these young people. We need to put them in these conditions more often. This is the key element that comes out of all of this. »
Are these one-sided results symptomatic of poor development in the country, according to the coach of the senior team?
“We have never won a match at the World Cup,” he recalls. It’s a process. […] But in the end, there are performances that will have to be evaluated. It’s normal. At the same time, there is all the work that has been done before that needs to improve. [Players need] to play more matches. »