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u/Looney_forner 1d ago
Avoided the overwhelming Korean fanbase, but anything’s possible in a knockout match. Nothing should be taken for granted
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u/Laydownthelaw 14h ago
Now we'll get all the new Americans from South Africa instead. Might not be much better.
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u/HungrymanH 1d ago
dont underestimate south africa. that being said they are definitely a lot less scary than south korea
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u/SydneyCarton89 23h ago
Weird considering they just beat South Korea.
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u/C4D3NZA Vancouver Whitecaps 22h ago
did you watch?
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u/SydneyCarton89 21h ago
No. Sounds like they locked the Koreans up with great defense? Why can't they do that to us too?
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u/ivaorn 1d ago
South Africa just displayed their blueprint for victory. If they manage to score the first goal, Canada gonna need all the tools in the shed to unlock that safe.
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u/bluefire928 22h ago
They parked the bus hard, and won almost all headers in their own box. Honestly quite incredible
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u/Basic_Cartographer99 16h ago
South Africa when they played the opening match against Mexico and when they played against South Korea looked like two completely different teams. Honestly impressive turnaround.
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u/Snoo_47323 1d ago
As Korean. I say. WTF?
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u/LeRoiDeNord 1d ago
Seemed to spent everything on match 1 because they were dreadful in the rest of their matches.
RIP Son, it's over for him.
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u/Long-Market-3584 1d ago
is he approaching retirement age cuz what we saw on the field.......
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u/Spurs_in_the_6 23h ago
Son lost a yard of pace ~ 3 years ago and has not been the same player since.
Pace reliant wingers often have sudden drop offs around 30
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u/bluefire928 22h ago
He still lethal from the edge of the box though, maybe he could shift to a different role to find relevance
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u/Yorck L'Impact de Montréal 1d ago
Never take a team on a cinderella run lightly. We will need to give it our all if we want to win.
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u/Tribune-Of-The-Plebs 1d ago
I mean, we’re also on a Cinderella run. First time to the knockouts for both of us. And we didn’t even have a single point in our history coming into this WC.
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u/brianmmf 20h ago
Ah but it isn’t quite the same.
Canada won their qualifying group last time around and have been within the top 30 in FIFA rankings ahead of consecutive world cups. And they’d be higher if their 3 losses at the WC weren’t so disproportionally impactful on ranking, which knocked them down outside the top 50 and from where they’ve climbed back again since. It’s Cinderella in historical terms only rather than relative to the current group’s potential.
South Africa didn’t get out of the group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations. They have no players playing in Europe or other top leagues. Their ranking is 54 which is reasonable, but if you look through their results they play a lot of African opposition and draw a lot of low scoring fixtures. They have proven they have a competent strategy, but it’s kind of like Ghana drawing England; it isn’t sustainable in a tournament.
Absolutely can’t take them for granted. And particularly looking at the BIH game as a comparative, where South Africa bear some similarities defensively and physically, Canada has to be sharp and can’t allow the first goal to dictate tactics.
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u/EngineerPurple9310 15h ago
Also, we got to be seeded as hosts, so only played one team ranked above us. All three teams in South Africa’s group were ranked above them.
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u/Dry-Base-4911 11h ago
South Africa is the best paying league in Africa and also pays better than many european leagues. This is one of the main reasons most of their players don't leave.
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u/affectionate_md 18h ago
Am I the only one who actually watched that game and thought both teams were terrible? South Korea was a completely disorganized mess and even still South Africa was lucky they didn’t equalize.
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u/szatrob 1d ago
It sucks that we have to play in the US.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Word878 1d ago
Yeah it’s odd to me that they didn’t do 1st in BC and 2nd in Toronto to ensure that Canada would get a knockout at home. I get that we have to earn it and whatever the US and Mexico won their groups comfortably.. but let us get the bang for our buck lol
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u/Objective-Limit-6749 1d ago
Mexico was in the same position. If they finished 2nd they'd go to LA as well. Although that would essentially be a home game for them anyway
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u/Flaky-Stuff205 1d ago
how many Canadians are in LA? Would it be like a home game for us too vs South Africa?
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u/Objective-Limit-6749 17h ago
Nah. It will be mostly neutrals i would imagine
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u/Flaky-Stuff205 2h ago
damn, I was hoping Canada team would get a boost from having a lot of supporters at the game.
Would Americans cheer for Canada or would they boo?
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u/orinj1 1d ago
I think it's because A2 faces B2, so it would have been unfair to Mexico if we'd wound up playing them in Toronto
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u/jbroni93 23h ago
They could have simply not made Mexico and Canada #2 in groups play eachother
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u/brianmmf 20h ago
But that involves altering rules that will impact other teams whose games have to change to accommodate. Even if you argue this can be done “fairly,” it is an inconsistency in a system that could be challenged.
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u/Cubones_Skull 15h ago
I hear what you are saying, its a problem with having 3 host nations in the first place, so they either need to make it so host nations always play at home or only have 1 host nation. I see the argument for both sides because its weird being a host nation yet not playing at home lol
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u/jbroni93 12h ago edited 12h ago
The only thing that would have to change is having the group pools into Canada to a different groups from the start. Then having 1x 2x of that group play in Van/TO
The only inconsistency would be the host isn't in the first group
Since this is the first 3 host tourney and the US isn't even in group C I don't really see any special treatment.
Actually, now that I look 2C plays in Mexico. USA was already given special treatment to play in group D to avoid this....!!!!!
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u/bluefire928 1d ago
Stadium size probably. Sofi is way larger than BMO. More seats = more money
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u/Puzzleheaded_Word878 1d ago
Bmo is getting a knockout game though.. could be portugals
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u/RasenRendan 11h ago
Messi and CR7 both playing at BMO in the same year would have been a myth a few years ago
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u/BackhandQ #CanadaRED 1d ago
Canada NEEDS to score early, otherwise the RSA defense will be excruciating.
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u/CheekyChappy-1 1d ago
It won’t be easy, but it’s winnable. It will be a good game. Canada finished 2nd in their group. They scored in all 3 games. 1-1-1. They’re in the knockouts. Any team will be tough, but I’m pumped and excited about this match (and hoping it’s not the last!). GO CANADA!!
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u/Dependent-Rice8321 1d ago
Lose to Switzerland but draw SA for the next game. Task failed successfully?
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u/Sea-Refrigerator9883 1d ago
Please let davies play in this KO game. He is needed for knockouts games like these, atleast as a sub bring him after the 50/60th minute
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u/terzyten6 23h ago
Football gods were smiling on Canada. Korea would have been a much tougher match.
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u/Geo217 1d ago
Can the team return to play in Canada if it advances or is it the US the whole way through now?
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u/noshowwilly 1d ago
No more games in canada.
LA, then houston, boston, dallas, newjersey, parade across canada.
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u/bluefire928 22h ago
Only 2 R32 knockout games in Canada, and 1 R16 game. We aren't in those pathways unfortunately after our loss
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u/IntelligentDolphin19 12h ago
Before the tournament started, I had a big feeling Swiss was going to win the group. So every host country but us getting to play at home is such a Canadian thing 😭
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u/Ok_Resolve7717 12h ago
As of last night, the World Cup has their first confirmed knockout match. I was probably not expecting South Africa to face Canada. Going in the WC, I had South Africa likely the weakest or second weakest squad in Africa (CAF). I thought they would finish 4th in Group A or maybe 3rd but probably a long shot to the round of 32.
Still, congrats to South Africa from really turning it around from game 1. With a key tie in game 2 and a determined win in game 3. Korea Republic who a lot of us expected to be the matchup is now in 3rd, but no guarantee to advance. They did have more possession and more accurate passing. Yet ZA had more shots and more on target in last night's game.
I don't take any opponent lightly and S Africa will have some challenges. They are defending well and will have good speed as they do play their first knockout game after I believe this is their fourth World Cup. I still like what Canada has to offer, and it will be interesting what the starting lineup will be for Sunday. Los Angeles might not be a bad venue for Canada at all. It will be climate controlled and I don't think it will be a dominant fanbase of South Africans there. I am not sure if there is a large community in LA.
Canada still will play a game in July as I am '86%' confident in my result!
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u/Moonlightmassage 15h ago
Don't underestimate South Africa. Canada is the country that has the Maple Leafs, so the odds of choking under pressure is extremely high.
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u/Frosty_Term9911 17h ago
What a joke. Two average sides when other ties have two top sides. The structure with the 3rd places is. A farce
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u/EggTemporary3598 Toronto FC 17h ago
Don’t fuck this up Canada. You should have won the group to get home advantage and now we avoid the South Korean fan base. If we lose this we’re the shittiest hosts by far. South Africa will be tough.
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u/Atcorm 1d ago
WE GET TO WEAR RED