Treppy2 Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 The matches against Netherlands, France, Argentina, Peru and Chile will be Canada's highest profile set of five matches since the friendlies ahead of the 1994 World Cup. The results of those matches were: June 1 - Canada 1 Morocco 1 June 5 - Canada 1 Brazil 1 June 8 - Canada 0 Germany 2 June 10 - Canada 0 Spain 2 June 12 - Canada 0 Netherlands 3 (As an aside, it's crazy that Canada played five matches in 12 days, with three of the matches in five days.) Ahead of the 1994 matches, there was talk that one win and one draw would be the best Canada could hope for. How it turned out - two draws - wasn't too bad, especially with one of the draws being against Brazil. What would represent success for Canada in the upcoming five matches in 2024? One win and one draw, same as we hoped for in 1994? (If we get those results in the last two matches, that might be good enough to get out of our group in Copa America.) Can we aim higher than that? Or should our expectations be lower? I attended the 1994 match against Spain at Claude-Robillard in Montreal. Don't remember too much of the match itself, other than Spain having almost all of the possession, with Canada having maybe one decent chance at a goal. What I do remember is dozens of Montreal police dressed in full-blown riot gear after the match, when there was not a hint of trouble among the two sets of fans. There must be plenty of people here who attended the 1994 matches. Let's hear your memories of those matches. Canuckia, jordan, JamboAl and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 I attended Canada-Germany and Canada-Netherlands matches in Toronto. Only time I ever sat directly behind the goal (in the south stands) for a match at Varsity Stadium (whether for Canada or Metros/Blizzard - or even the Lynx I suppose) in twenty-odd years of attending matches at Varsity - was at the Dutch match. I remember a massive Dutch flag being unfurled on the wast side stands with lot of Dutch supporters, many of which I believe were travelling with the team to the US. I also remember our team being totally spent at that point, not helped by our two best strikers at the time (Bunbury & Pesch) being injured and missing all five players. As for the Germany match, what I remember most of all was the disappointment that we got shut out after we had scored against the previous two teams we faced. My seats were on the west side, just by the goal line. I attended the match alone because I think it was on a Wednesday afternoon and the rest of my family couldn't go (I was off work that day, from whatever summer job I had at the time). As such, I didn't quite have the courage to stand up, turn around and tell off the two meatheads behind me who were shitting on Canada the whole game, repeatedly saying stuff like "I can't believe they tied Brazil". They weren't even German supporters - they just Canadians who hated Canada. You used to get a lot of those kinds of soccer "fans" back in the day, thankfully not so much now... From a soccer point of view, I predicted at that time that the Dutch would have a better World Cup than the Germans did...which I suppose I was correct about in terms of expectations as both teams went out in the Q-F. But the Netherlands lost 3-2 to the eventual champions in Brazil and Germany got upset by Bulgaria, and I also think they got lucky in the first round - they should have lost to Spain, they played poorly against the Koreans and they had an incredibly poor piece of officiating go in their favour against Belgium, a match they won 3-2 but Belgium should have had a P-K and the Germans sent down to 10 men. The Dutch looked very fast and energetic against us, the Germans looked slow and ponderous, and Mattheus was acting on the pitch like his shit didn't stink, even though I could smell him from where I was sitting. I think I celebrated Bulgaria's victory over Germany in that World Cup more than I did any of Italy's wins en route to the final. JamboAl, ray, Treppy2 and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottawafan Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 These 5 games will do wonders for the program going forward. Added exposure, increase the level of play for the team/players and hopefully attract future duals. Maybe add some new sponsors to the mix as well. Canuckia and Ivan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoccMan Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 It’s good that they are able to play against some very high profile competition. It will put them back in mainstream media in terms of general sports fan’s awareness. If they could try and do at the very least 2 to three of these type of friendlies like the Netherlands and France a year it would be helpful. Playing only countries from our region is getting very tiresome and does nothing to attract more than the casuals in terms of interest to the games . As we saw for that Canada Jamaica game in the Nations league at BMO which even served as a crucial Copa America win and your in qualifying game , BMO Field was barely half full . We want more interest in this national team then we have to play more top 10 teams more often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shway Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 37 minutes ago, Ottawafan said: These 5 games will do wonders for the program going forward. Added exposure, increase the level of play for the team/players and hopefully attract future duals. Maybe add some new sponsors to the mix as well. Who are the duals we are trying to attract that could come into the squad today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottawafan Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 4 minutes ago, Shway said: Who are the duals we are trying to attract that could come into the squad today? Not about today or this summer. Looking to the future to make sure Canada is a viable option to potential kids. Canuckia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 50 minutes ago, Shway said: Who are the duals we are trying to attract that could come into the squad today? Off the top of my head, only Koleosho. And he is still out with injury. Maybe Jebbison too and his career is basically in limbo. I don't think Sigur's level is high enough to make him a surefire call-up. Of course someone else will chime in with a player I forgot... WestHamCanadianinOxford and Canuckia 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 2 hours ago, Shway said: Who are the duals we are trying to attract that could come into the squad today? I feel like he’s talking about a 16 year old kid somewhere who will watch these games and pick Canada in 3 years versus where his parents are from. narduch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gator Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 The Brazil match received a fair bit of media attention especially after we got the result against the eventual champions, not many expected that! I attended both matches at Varsity, I met up with some German fans we had met the previous year at the first ever indoor match played on grass in Pontiac Michigan! The match vs the Dutch was a big ask for me to attend falling on my wife's birthday, it wouldn't be the only birthday she celebrated without me, Honduras in 2012 comes to mind!😀 As I remember we gave a decent showing in both matches, the Dutch came flying out of the blocks and it looked like it would be really ugly but we settled, we held Germany to the one goal until late before conceding a second! https://canadasoccer.com/national/matches/national-team-match-past/?matchId=394 https://canadasoccer.com/national/matches/national-team-match-past/?matchId=392 narduch, jordan and WestHamCanadianinOxford 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 Pretty impressive Canadian roster, especially for the time. Almost a HOF group. narduch and gator 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aird25 Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 8 hours ago, narduch said: Off the top of my head, only Koleosho. And he is still out with injury. Maybe Jebbison too and his career is basically in limbo. I don't think Sigur's level is high enough to make him a surefire call-up. Of course someone else will chime in with a player I forgot... Alghamdi too, but it would seem he's already made his mind up narduch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gator Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 This really is an incredible stretch of quality matches for us, with Euro leagues being finished I would think if a fence sitter ever wants to get involved this would be the time! They potentially could put themselves in the bright lights quickly, there will be massive media coverage for all of these matches, maybe more so that the 3 WC games? Ivan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigi riva Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 I remember watching that Canada v Brazil game in 1994 on TSN with my dad and after Berdusco scored we both looked at each other and thought that we have finally turned the corner and it will be better days ahead. Boy where we wrong Kadenge, johnyb, sose and 7 others 3 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sose Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 On 4/17/2024 at 1:21 PM, gator said: The Brazil match received a fair bit of media attention especially after we got the result against the eventual champions, not many expected that! I attended both matches at Varsity, I met up with some German fans we had met the previous year at the first ever indoor match played on grass in Pontiac Michigan! The match vs the Dutch was a big ask for me to attend falling on my wife's birthday, it wouldn't be the only birthday she celebrated without me, Honduras in 2012 comes to mind!😀 As I remember we gave a decent showing in both matches, the Dutch came flying out of the blocks and it looked like it would be really ugly but we settled, we held Germany to the one goal until late before conceding a second! https://canadasoccer.com/national/matches/national-team-match-past/?matchId=394 https://canadasoccer.com/national/matches/national-team-match-past/?matchId=392 I was at both of those matches at varsity also. gator 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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