Biggest Game Since 2000?

[Sam]

The more I think about the Canada-Panama at BMO, the more I start to realize how important this game really is for us. Considering we haven't had this good of a start in World Cup Qualifying since the 1998 cycle and we haven't played in a Gold Cup final (or semi-final to win the confederation title in the case of 2000) since our win back in 2000 final, this really has to be the biggest game since those two tournaments.

The game has even more importance when you think of the upside of winning and the downside of losing. If we win, then a win at BMO against Cuba would probably put us through or any combination of three points in our final three games. 3 points in 3 games is not a big ask at all! On the flip side if we lose, we then have to win either in Panama or in Honduras which will be two very, very difficult matches.

The only real competitor I can think of for most important match played by a Canadian men's team in the past 12 years could be the U-20 loss to Chile in 2007 just because of the pre-match media attention and the attention the tournament got in general. But if you only think of the inherent importance of the match itself that has nothing on this Canada-Panama game.

So essentially what I'm saying, is this game is absolutely massive. I'd bet that for more than 50% of the people on here (myself included) have never watched a bigger Canada game since they started supporting the team.... but no pressure.

[Addona]

I guess you'd have to throw in the 2 Gold Cup semi-finals against the U.S. in 2007 and 2002 ... one ended in penalties, the other should have gone to extra time!

[Free kick]

I agree that its a big game. But all early games in the semi final rounds of concacaf are big games. The game versus T&T in 2000 was big, the game versus Gua and Hon in 2004 was big, and so was the game versus Honduras in 2008 in Mtl.

I honnestly cant say one was more important than other. Only difference is, the benefit of time.

[Grizzly]

I think there have been lots of games since 2000 that were equally as important as this one. I wouldn't count Gold Cup games because WCQ is far more important and many of the Gold Cup squads are not full first teams. However, I think every WCQ cycle the 2nd and 3rd games were equally important as this one and we were still in the hunt. The fact we screwed up those games does not remove their importance and if we screw up our 3rd game this WCQ then we have pretty much the same old story as every other WCQ.

Edit: I see Freekick has posted almost the same thing as I did at about the same time. We finally agree on something!

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

I guess you'd have to throw in the 2 Gold Cup semi-finals against the U.S. in 2007 and 2002 ... one ended in penalties, the other should have gone to extra time!

WCQs are more important (to me and I believe to most V's). However I would amend Sam statement to: "biggest game on home soil since..." ...well I'm not sure since when, maybe when we played Panama at Commomwealth in 1996? 16 years later, I say we are capable of another 3-1 win.

[ThiKu]

Yes, winning takes us to 7, and then a win v. Cuba to 10. But this has been discussed. Unless Cuba snatch a win or a few draws against Pan/Hon, then 10 pts may very well not be enough to progress from this group.

This isn't our biggest game. GC semi's are huge of course. But this game is not bigger than that first game at BMO v. Jamaica in the last semi-final group for the WC2010.

[theaub]

I actually agree with Sam here.

All of the matches others have listed were big, but they were all right at the start of round. In '02/'06/'10 we were pretty much done by the final whistle of the first two matches (unless you expected us to get a result in Mexico/Costa Rica which is pretty unrealistic IMO).

As such, this is the "farthest" we've advanced in qualifying since '98 WCQ. We've entered the third match of the semi-final round with both a realistic chance to get a result from the match and a realistic chance to get to the hex, and that hasn't happened in a very, very long time.

[gator]

Yes, winning takes us to 7, and then a win v. Cuba to 10. But this has been discussed. Unless Cuba snatch a win or a few draws against Pan/Hon, then 10 pts may very well not be enough to progress from this group.

This isn't our biggest game. GC semi's are huge of course. But this game is not bigger than that first game at BMO v. Jamaica in the last semi-final group for the WC2010.

Sam is correct, it's a huge match but as you point out no bigger than that opener vs Jamaica or I will add the next match in Montreal vs Honduras! You can't change the past and I like to look at the matches ahead but after watching our last home match with Honduras a few times on Sportsnet World I have to say we really should have won and there would be a much clearer path to the hex if we did!

[Free kick]

I actually agree with Sam here.

All of the matches others have listed were big, but they were all right at the start of round. In '02/'06/'10 we were pretty much done by the final whistle of the first two matches (unless you expected us to get a result in Mexico/Costa Rica which is pretty unrealistic IMO).

As such, this is the "farthest" we've advanced in qualifying since '98 WCQ. We've entered the third match of the semi-final round with both a realistic chance to get a result from the match and a realistic chance to get to the hex, and that hasn't happened in a very, very long time.

Yes, but (sadly) i think this is an age thing. Lets look back at 1990 WCQ. That was just on the heels of having played at the WC in 1986 And we could have built momentum for the game in canada and it was on the heels of :

- the NASL having folded a few years before (i think it ws 1985 or 86)

- the CSL may have just started or was about to.

Our WCQ campaign in 1990 consisted of just two games. It was a two leg tie against Guatemala which we lost on away goals no less. How huge was that? How much much-needed credability would that have given to the startup CSL had we qualified for the WCQ again in 1990 after 1986? The CSL folded around the time or just before MLS started. But how different would its fate (and professional soccer landscape in Canada and US) have been if we would have been a more consistent performer in Concacaf.

In he eighties and nineties, the WC was a great exposure for the players and it helped immensely in landing pro contracts with good clubs. Again, think of the cascading effect that missing out in 1990 (couple with the instability of the pro game in North america at the time) meant for soccer in canada and how it contributed to what happened in the years to come and where we are at today in comparasion to where the USA is?

When there was poll here several months ago, most thought that our best chance would be in 2018.

PS: in regards to the point that this is farthest that we have gotten since 98. Well thats more a perspective thing. Prior to that time, anything that happend before that final qualifying round or matches used to be deemed a formality for Canada. We still have to get to the hex and the point of this whole exercise is to qualify for the WC. So, I'll wait until the hex before even considering this "biggest game ever" thing. Not trying to throw damper on things here, the panama matches are huge, all i am doing is adding a little perspective.

[Sam]

The rationale behind saying this game is bigger than Jamaica or Honduras from 2008 is just that we are deeper in the competition. I mean compare this game to our third game in 2008, which was against Mexico in Mexico as we were sitting on 1 point from our two easiest matches. We are heading into this game with four points having yet to play our easiest match and this game is at home. We are much closer to qualifying for the hex now than we have been since we last did qualify for the hex. Does that not make this game more important than the games in which our chances of making the hex were much lower?

To put it in a European league context, sure the three points won in September in a title race are worth the same as the three points won in April, but the game in April is much "bigger" based on the fact that you are still in the title race and not just starting your season.

[ob1]

I'll tell you after the game

[CanadasBest]

I think every World Cup game we play is important. I couldn't say this game was bigger than the Jamaica game in 2008, the Guatemala game in 2004, or the Trinidad game in 2000.

It's a big game for sure. Just no less big or as important as those other games.

[Cheeta]

^

Really? I'm kinda leaning with Sam on this one. I'm thinking Big Picture stuff.

I can't help but feel like this is our chance to seize this competition by the throat in our park. That's significant on a whole other level, in a way that didn't seem possible pre-BMO Field. And if we can do it, well, so far as support for the MNT is concerned the sky is the limit. I don't think we could have said the same thing not so many years ago regardless of the results.

So yeah. I think Sam's right. Success could bring us into uncharted territory in a way that wasn't possible before. And hopefully in such a way where there will be no going back.

[Admin]

As far as I know, I don't have a time machine and the past is the past.

There is no time like now.

This is the most important game in the history of Canadian soccer.

Until the next most important game in the history of Canadian soccer.

How should I word this to people? You could go to this game, but it's not really as important as something that happened in 2004, so maybe you should stay home and watch television.

[madmonte]

If we win, it will be looked on as one of our most important games, a real tone setter. If we lose, it will be soon forgotten (moreso if we qualify despite losing).

[Admin]

If we win, it will be looked on as one of our most important games, a real tone setter. If we lose, it will be soon forgotten (moreso if we qualify despite losing).

That pretty much sums up almost every WCQ match.

[Sam]

If we win, it will be looked on as one of our most important games, a real tone setter. If we lose, it will be soon forgotten (moreso if we qualify despite losing).

Unfortunately I seem to find it impossible to forget the big losses.

[madmonte]

Unfortunately I seem to find it impossible to forget the big losses.

Yeah but in the grand scheme of things this wouldn't be the one that eliminates us...or maybe it's a forgettable draw, too. Just saying that the way this plays out in the long run over 4 games is going to decide for us which is the most memorable. To that point, winning against Cuba could be considered as a memorable tone setter to some, proving finally we can get 3 points on the road against the opposition we were supposed to beat!