Canada coach John Herdman has warned his team against complacency after they moved to the brink of a first World Cup appearance since 1986 with an emotional victory over the United States. The Canadians have surged into a four-point lead at the top of the CONCACAF qualifying competition, leaving them near-certainties to grab one of the three automatic World Cup berths available to teams from Central America, North America and the Caribbean.Sam Adekugbe, Alphonso Davies, Ike Ugbo, the players of African origin born all over the world came to Canada and became a team that changed a country’s view on the sport. The Canucks are captained by Milan Borjan, a Serbian man born in Croatia and banished from his home, the Canadians found strength in their background. He came to Canada at age 13, said that the Canadian team makeup is “something special”.”We’re one country. Canada is a multicultural country. We fight for what’s given to us. Canada gave us peace, better schools, a better life… better everything. This is the just the way of us to return it to Canada.”Milan Borjan, who was born in the former Yugoslavia, talked about what Canada means to him after yesterday’s win over the States. His answer, considering what’s going on in this country right now, is a must listen. (Clip Courtesy @CraigMacBride) pic.twitter.com/ntgpMtwBH1— Sid Seixeiro (@Sid_Seixeiro) January 31, 2022 Three more points on the road against El Salvador on Wednesday could well leave them needing only a point from their final three fixtures in March to clinch a place at this year’s finals in Qatar. Amid the euphoria of Sunday’s 2-0 win over the United States, which has left the Americans’ own World Cup hopes delicately balanced, 46-year-old Englishman Herdman was quick to emphasise that nothing would be taken for granted until qualification was mathematically certain.”We’re not qualified yet. The first thing we said when we brought the boys off the field was ‘It’s not done yet, it starts again tomorrow’. We’re not there yet. We need some more points. I won’t let these boys off the hook. So let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.”Canada sealed the W with this goal against USA 🇨🇦(via @CBSSportsGolazo) pic.twitter.com/DuOSJgYnhZ— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) January 30, 2022 It would take a monumental collapse, and a freakish combination of results, to deny the Canadians now though. On Sunday, goals from Cyle Larin and Sam Adekugbe earned Canada a clinical 2-0 win that embodied the strengths of Herdman’s tight-knit, tactically well-drilled team, who were happy to cede possession for long periods and wait for openings on the counter-attack.Herdman was also delighted by the raucous reception that greeted both team buses outside Tim Hortons Field before kick-off where thousands of Canadian fans had gathered. That was music to the ears of Herdman, a Geordie and staunch Newcastle United supporter.”I’ve seen nothing like it. It’s everything I’ve dreamed of. I’m a hardcore Newcastle fan, a football fan at heart. And I used to turn up to St. James Park and used to love that walk-in, sometimes that was my favourite part of the game – the atmosphere. Sunday was the first time I felt I was living in a football country. The flares were going off, it was like Liverpool arriving for a Champions League game. It was that wild in that mosh pit. The bus couldn’t even get through.”He says that Canada’s success has ignited support across the country’s diverse population, which in turn has energised his squad.”This is what we’ve dreamed of – to get people excited. You know — the Canadian people who’ve always had to wear an Italian shirt or a Serbian shirt or a Greek shirt. They can put them down and pull on a Canadian jersey now and be proud of us as a football country. And when the boys feel it they’re absolutely buzzing.”HERDMAN REACTION”It’s just pride.” Can we get a little love for OUR GAFFER!? 🇨🇦❤️#CANMNT #WCQ #ForCanada pic.twitter.com/5FR8yLexop— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) January 30, 2022 Herdman said qualification for the World Cup had been pinpointed as the goal of the squad at the “very first team meeting” when he took over four years ago. But he maintains qualification will have a seismic long-term impact for football in Canada, where ice hockey remains by far the most popular sport.WORLD CUP QUALIFICATIONSCentral and North AmericaThursday03.00: (3.00) Jamaica (2.75) Costa Rica (2.75)03.30: (1.25) USA (5.80) Honduras (12.0)05.00: (4.20) El Salvador (3.35) Canada (1.95)06.00: (1.35) Mexico (4.90) Panama (9.50)***odds are subject to change
