It’s a big weekend for soccer in Canada.
Here’s why:
ROAD TO RUSSIA
It’s been over a decade since Canada’s men’s national team played a game in Vancouver.
Tonight, they hit the pitch at BC Place in a World Cup qualifier vs. Honduras. We all know the challenges of the Canadian team trying to make it to the World Cup, but as in any qualifying campaign, you have to be optimistic at the start.
There are a number of reasons I’m excited for this game: first and foremost, the crowd. The atmosphere in BC Place for our home playoff game was just electric and it was a true soccer crowd that really enjoyed the moment, chanting and singing and really making themselves part of the game. This is another opportunity to recreate that feeling while cheering on our national team.
So let’s get behind them and show everybody what great fans we have here in Vancouver.
When I look at the Canadian squad, I see size and strength and lots of quality in midfield (Marc Weber from The Province had a great piece here on Atiba Hutchinson) and on our forward line. The Canadian team always has an organized team that is hard to beat, but it isn’t always a threat going forward or capable of dictating the tempo of the game.
If you want to be successful in CONCACAF qualifying, I believe you have to have game changers and players that are comfortable on the ball. I see players in this Canadian squad who are just that, including the last two MLS Rookie of the Year winners (Cyle Larin and Tesho Akindele).
It’s also great to see a number of our Whitecaps FC Residency boys in the squad, including Sam Adekugbe, Kianz Froese, and Russell Teibert. I’m not sure they will see much time this time around – hopefully, they do – but the experience they gain will bode well for the future. I have followed these three players for a long time and I firmly believe they can be the future of our national team – along with promising midfielder Marco Bustos.
NASL SOCCER BOWL
I will also be looking forward to Sunday’s NASL Final, as Ottawa Fury travel to the Big Apple to take on New York Cosmos.
Of course, we know a thing or two about beating the Cosmos in New York.
Back in 1979, the ‘Caps upset New York in the semifinals en route to a historic NASL Championship. Hopefully, Ottawa will become the second Canadian team to bring home the title. They’re the underdogs – just like we were. Suffice to say, we’ll be rooting for them.
I had the pleasure of coaching the Fury in the PDL back in 2010. They also have a pair of former ‘Caps on their coaching staff: my old roommate Bruce Grobbelaar and the popular Martin Nash, as well as former Whitecaps FC striker Tommy Heinemann, who scored both of Ottawa’s goals in their semifinal win.
Clearly, this is a game we’ll be following closely.
CIS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
This one is a little off the radar, but the 2015 Canadian Interuniversity Sport men’s and women's soccer championships are also taking place this weekend. The women's CIS tournament is taking place right here in Vancouver as UBC are hosting at Thunderbird Stadium. A number of former Whitecaps FC Girls Elite players are on this UBC team, including second team CIS All-Canadian striker Jasmin Dhanda.
The men's tournament is taking place in Toronto. There are currently four teams remaining, including fourth-ranked UBC. The Thunderbirds are set to take on number-one ranked York (who also happen to be the tournament hosts) on Saturday with a berth in Sunday’s national final on the line.
Whitecaps FC fans will recognize a number of names on UBC’s roster.
Seven of them came through the ‘Caps program, including current WFC2 fullback Chris Serban, who scored an extra time winner for UBC in the Canada West Final.
So there you have it.
As you can see, it promises to be an exciting weekend for soccer in this country.
Carl Valentine, an inductee of the Whitecaps FC Ring of Honour, is the club's all-time leader in appearances and fourth all-time in goals scored. Currently, Valentine serves as a club ambassador and U-16 Residency assistant coach.
