Canada vs. Honduras In-Game Thread (R)

[Cheeta]

On the subway out there was a group of young teens....5 of them, all wearing honduras kits. 2 of them clearly looked like they were of Honduran nationality, the other 3 were bloody white skinned gingers.

I was in total disbelief.

Oh them. Don't mind that, it's just that they look more like their father.

Its frustrating isn't it? Same kids will have their hockey jerseys on living and dieing with Canada's results at the Olympics but wear foreign colours to a WCQing match in Canada.

The great thing about last night is what these kids saw and experienced. Not just on the pitch but in the grandstands. It's going to be harder for them to separate their "ethnic" identity from their Canadian identity along footballing lines. They're seeing maybe for the 1st time in their lives that soccer matters to Canadians, to the broader diversity that is the Canadian general public, on a scale that matches or at least rivals how the sport is viewed in their ethnic community. (But then again aren't we all?)

Point being; Cheering for your ethnic team against Canada isn't so hard when you think Canada doesn't really care. But its a different thing altogether when it looks and feels like yes indeed, Canada does care.

Allez les Rouges!

[Keegan]

My guess it'll come down to they have to win in Honduras..Unless they get 4 off Panama, then maybe a draw in Honduras would do..

We'll see how Honduras does against Cuba... if they come away with just 4 points they'll have 5 and I'm confident we can get 4 off Panama

Standings will be:

Canada 8

Panama 7

Honduras 5

Cuba 1

We'll play Cuba at home with an opportunity to clinch.. which is scary.

[roue]

Selection of pics from yesterday .

http://s572.photobucket.com/albums/ss162/roue_2009/WCQ%20June%2012%202012%20BMO%20Field/

[TFC07]

Good game overall in defensive POV (except end of first half), but Canada wasted a lot of chances. Don't we have someone who's good of taking free kicks?

[madmonte]

Good game overall in defensive POV (except end of first half), but Canada wasted a lot of chances. Don't we have someone who's good of taking free kicks?

Simply look up De Rosario free kick on youtube. We absolutely have an AMAZING FK taker. So he missed a couple in one game. He's still incredible at it.

[Keegan]

Simply look up De Rosario free kick on youtube. We absolutely have an AMAZING FK taker. So he missed a couple in one game. He's still incredible at it.

DeRo is good from range because he powers them in but we need a technically gifted taker who can score from just outside the 18

[madmonte]

Yeah. He does that too. Frequently. For Houston, for DC, for TFC, for San Jose, he's done it. I didn't mean look up ONE youtube video of the one he took for San Jose from long range. Is that the only vid that's on there?

[StartingEleven]

So he missed a couple in one game. He's still incredible at it.

Be careful to dismiss this, this was the most important game for him thus far in his career and they will keep getting more important, DeRo's YouTube reel has nothing to do with FIFA qualifiers. DeRo is obviously snake bitten when it comes to international play, don't act like he's just had one bad game. We need DeRo to actually really and truly show his MLS form now or we are not going to make it to the HEX.

[superbrad]

One point I want to raise: Honduras and Panama are going to be having a lot more difficulty in Cuba than we did. If you watch our tactics, the idea of scoring off of a header on a cross is the way our system is hard-wired. Panama and Honduras however play it on the ground and rely on quick passing and strong runs. Try that on the Cuba pitch, it won't work. I'm not convinced Panama or Honduras will be ale to pull off a solid long-ball effort, either.

Really good point. We need to watch these games, Go Cuba.

[Keegan]

Yeah. He does that too. Frequently. For Houston, for DC, for TFC, for San Jose, he's done it. I didn't mean look up ONE youtube video of the one he took for San Jose from long range. Is that the only vid that's on there?

He puts it up and over the wall? No chance, I'm confident he hasn't as I've seen every DeRo pro goal but if he has in the past I apologize. For TFC he scored 2 against Houston with power and one (or both?) was indirect anyways. Marcel De Jong is the best we have in terms of technical FK takers.

[madmonte]

Be careful to dismiss this, this was the most important game for him thus far in his career and they will keep getting more important, DeRo's YouTube reel has nothing to do with FIFA qualifiers. DeRo is obviously snake bitten when it comes to international play, don't act like he's just had one bad game. We need DeRo to actually really and truly show his MLS form now or we are not going to make it to the HEX.

Ronaldo had a couple bad misses today too. Portugal didn't lose, but the pressure and intensity was on Ronaldo, same thing. But guess what? If I was the coach, I'd still play Ronaldo. Also, I'd still play DeRo. Watch the highlights of the two international games where DeRo was snake bitten, and look where much of the action is generated from. Straight from DDR. I'm told not to dismiss these facts, I'm telling you guys, don't be so quick to dismiss De Ro. The point is that he's one of the best FK takers in the MLS. And mark my words, he WILL prove his touch on the international scale even more than the 17 goals he's already scored. He keeps doing what he is doing, it will come.

What De Ro could do over the wall...had the right video here, but lost it, had to post this instead. Zoom to 1:20

And that famous "driven power" free kick that was referred to? Zoom to 0:27. Tell me that curve isn't technical

How about the two free kicks he scored against Houston on September 18, 2010? Yeah both were driven shots, but were from just outside of the 18 regardless. He finds space...he takes advantage, who cares how it gets there.

Zoom to 4:00 then zoom to 5:10

As I said...I'm positive he'll be proving you guys wrong soon enough, be prepared to eat those words in september and october.

[tmcmurph]

I'm a huge fan of Dero but free kicks are not his specialty (youtube videos not withstanding). For free kicks over a wall you want consistency and nobody on Canada has that. If you notice his successes they are usually around or through the wall not over. Getting that ball to drop is an art no Canuck currently has shown.

Last night I was calling for him to hit the wall. Seriously, he has a hard shot so on the first free kick you aim for the wall and have all your teammates duck! If it gets through we get a chance and if it hits a Honduran point blank and hard the next time he lines up they will be worried.

[madmonte]

Hold on editing post...wrong one for the technical one...posted same vid twice second to correct guys. But yeah, I'm not saying he's the best FK taker in the world, but I am saying he is one of the best in MLS. He can score from them from anywhere, if he prefers to go through the crowd rather than up and over, big deal...it's in the back of the net, that's what counted. But yes I have seen some where he goes over the wall, and had JUST posted one...now I can't find it again dammit. But I put something similar there instead...just to show he has kicks that can drop.

But yeah I will admit that he's not super technical all the time with his FKs on watching more youtube vids, however he didn't missed by a lot today with a dropper. You know. Cuz like, the wind took it.

Here. More technical scoring class and proof of his touch, although granted not a free kick, still proves he CAN do more than just drive shots.

[madmonte]

Actually you know what bothers me? When something comes outside of the box, and I love JDG and everything, but it bugs me how every time the ball comes to him outside of the 18 he immediately volleys it 80 feet over and wide of the net. He did it 4 times against Cuba, 3 times against the USA, once against Honduras, and about twice a game for TFC. It's kind of frustrating. Anyone else notice that?

[Keegan]

Actually you know what bothers me? When something comes outside of the box, and I love JDG and everything, but it bugs me how every time the ball comes to him outside of the 18 he immediately volleys it 80 feet over and wide of the net. He did it 4 times against Cuba, 3 times against the USA, once against Honduras, and about twice a game for TFC. It's kind of frustrating. Anyone else notice that?

I don't think hes missing the net on purpose....

FFS if he's gonna have a go then good on him, at least someone is.

[BearcatSA]

Away teams are happy taking a point, its infinitely harder playing down in Central America. That means the impetus is on the home team to do their best to take 3 points, and that means attacking. Any decent team in the world plays more attacking at home and defensive on the road. Not only that this Honduran side is not very good, attacking leads to the opposition having to defend and sit back more, and attacking less, thus attacking gets 2 things accomplished it gives you the chance to score goals, get fouls and cards for the oppositon and it is it provides defense. Playing defensive does not lead to any of those benefits, its simple international soccer 101 Hart played not to lose, playing not to lose at home to teams like Honduras who are in a down moment is not the best strategy to qualify. If we played someone with a bit more defensive responsibility so be it, but we played Nik Ledgerwood wide on the right, who for all his battling qualities provided no danger at all going forward. On the road I can understand picking that squad, but the fact is we are going to be in tough against Panama and Honduras away to get wins so trying for a point or counter attacking or sset piece goals is a sound strategy, today it was not.

And its not like we were playing attacking wingbacks either, we played 2 relatively reserved players at FB which should give more ability to play attacking players ahead of them.

I agree with your main points here.

[madmonte]

I don't think hes missing the net on purpose....

FFS if he's gonna have a go then good on him, at least someone is.

Yeah, fine, have a go, but touch it down first to gain control. MLS this season. 15 shots, 2 ended up on goal. He does it week in, week out, it comes back from the keeper, maybe off a punch, maybe a defender heads it away, and De Guzman with people in front of it, without even looking at the net, strikes it as hard as he can off the volley, and it doesn't even end up looking like a shot. Everyone jogs away, loss of possession, goal kick.

Loving every aspect of his game for Canada. Except that. Stop it JDG lol.

[closetboostie]

There's also too many "certainties" being thrown around. Apparently we're going to get 0 in Sept vs Panama twice and both Panama and Honduras are a lock to take 6 from Cuba. Cuba almost stole a point at Panama last night, it'll be no cakewalk for Honduras to get max points in Sept in their 2 matches with them. They have NO GOALS yet, so good luck taking 6pts with that kind of offence.

+1

No one is guaranteed anything. That's why putting 6 pts on the board would have been so massive. Cuba will take points off somebody I believe that. We are through if we win last night. However, the bottom line is we are in 2nd in the group and that is good position. We need to keep getting results and at the end it will be enough. The way we have performed defensively gives us every opportunity to do that. I'm sure our boys won't sleep like they might have thinking back at missed opportunities, but there is still all to play for.

[villus]

Yeah, that **** is hilarious. The people sitting in front of us were Canadian-born of Honduran descent and one of the guys behind us immigrated here from Honduras and was cheering for Canada. One of the female Canadian-born fans teased him about being a traitor and he responded that he'd be a traitor to Canada, the country that let him come here for a better life, if he cheered for Honduras. Then my Dad chimed in that he faced the same conundrum in 1986 when Canada played France and he felt he owed it to Canada to cheer for them instead of France. So there you have it, there are some immigrants in this country that appreciate this country...and then you have their kids who either love their country of birth (me) or take it for granted how much better they have it in this country than "back home".

I'm sorry but this is a bit ridiculous. This is a sport, just because someone cheers for Honduras does'nt mean that they don't respect Canada as a nation. It means that they may be proud of their heritage and don't want to feel like they have to assimilate completely and they show that by cheering for a poor country that does'nt have many things to be proud of, soccer being one of them. Blowing fans cheering for Honduras out of proportion is ridiculous. Sure it would be nice if they supported Canada as well, but this is sport and many immigrants or children of immigrants hold onto a sense of pride from where they came from and we should not extrapolate that to not appreciating Canada as a country.

[Macksam]

The game was pretty good. A big positive is the level of support. The crowd must have been 85% in favour of Canada.

[superbrad]

Question on support. Why was the game sold out in 2008 vs. Jamaica and this one wasn't? Both were on weeknights as I recall. Time of year?

[Macksam]

Question on support. Why was the game sold out in 2008 vs. Jamaica and this one wasn't? Both were on weeknights as I recall. Time of year?

I think it has to do with our opponent. If we had Jamaica at this match, I'm sure it would've been sold out with a lot more opposition support.

[parkingatlamport]

I think it has to do with our opponent. If we had Jamaica at this match, I'm sure it would've been sold out with a lot more opposition support.

It has nothing to do with opponents. I was at both games and the ratio to home and away support was the same, if not a better showing from Honduras.

It has everything to do with what's going on with Toronto FC (fans feeling ripped off, terrible team, clueless front office, etc) and having to be in the loop to even know these games are going on. I guess that last part is the CSA's fault.

[maplebanana]

It has nothing to do with opponents. I was at both games and the ratio to home and away support was the same.

It has everything to do with what's going on with Toronto FC (fans feeling ripped off, terrible team, clueless front office, etc) and having to be in the loop to even know these games are going on. I guess that last part is the CSA's fault.

I agree mostly with parkingatlamport. TFC's track record, combined with a bit of fan fatigue (in 2008 it was still really hard to get tickets to a TFC game) has made soccer @ BMO less of a 'hottest ticket in the city'. And let's not forget that in 2008 we were 1 year separated from a wildly successful U-20 World Cup in Canada.

[red card]

I'm sorry but this is a bit ridiculous. This is a sport, just because someone cheers for Honduras does'nt mean that they don't respect Canada as a nation. It means that they may be proud of their heritage and don't want to feel like they have to assimilate completely and they show that by cheering for a poor country that does'nt have many things to be proud of, soccer being one of them. Blowing fans cheering for Honduras out of proportion is ridiculous. Sure it would be nice if they supported Canada as well, but this is sport and many immigrants or children of immigrants hold onto a sense of pride from where they came from and we should not extrapolate that to not appreciating Canada as a country.

The counter to this is what was written about JDG2 deciding not to play Canada on the Score blog

"..the strident disconnect between professed “love of country” and the desire to play for Holland because “they regularly make World Cups” cannot be explained away, apologized for, reasoned with. It’s a disgrace. We’re not an outfit or a means to a starting XI, or a mere shirt, or flag. You can’t profess to be a proud Canadian and then use your national team colours as leverage.

We’re Canada."