Hart preaches a balanced approach for Canada ahead of Panama WC qualifiers

Stephen Hart PHOTO: CANADA SOCCER

It’s the rare occasion where just about any hyperbole will do when describing the importance one game means to the Canadian men’s national team — and the men’s game in Canada as a whole.

Friday’s World Cup qualifier between Canada and Panama at BMO Field in Toronto is being billed as the most important game in at least a decade. Picking up four points in the first two games has raised the expectations of this team and two games in September will either see that expectation realized or it could all come crashing down if Canada can’t put in two solid performances against what could be the toughest team in the group.

“Do we really have to talk about the importance of the game?” was Stephen Hart’s no-nonsense answer when asked about the importance of Friday.

“You have four games and you have to look at it that way, but you can’t play before it comes, so the game at home against arguably the best team in the group is extremely important.”

The win and draw that Canada picked up in June against Cuba and Honduras respectively have allowed the squad and Hart in particular a little breathing room.

While he was more reserved than usual, with his fate likely depending on what happens in this round , Hart was been visibly more relaxed as the squad trained at BMO Field on Wednesday. But while he’s a certainly more at ease these days, Hart isn’t losing his focus and it making sure the members of the squad maintain theirs.

“In the past when we’ve had games that were very important to Canada’s program and to the result I think we wanted it too bad,” said Hart of Canada’s failings of the past. “At times we played in such a way that we try to win the game in the first half or in the first 10 minutes or whatever so it’s important to understand to create some sort of balance. Yes, the game is important but how you approach the game.”

Four years ago Canada sputtered to just a single point in its first two games en route to a disastrous qualification campaign that saw it pick up just two points to finish last in a group with Jamaica, Mexico and Honduras.

It surpassed that total with their opening-game win over Cuba and the players are aware as anyone that Canada’s fate when it comes to advancing to “The Hex” could well hang on what kind of result they’re able to take into Panama after Friday’s game.

“We know the importance of this match,” said midfielder Julian de Guzman. “It’s pretty much the most important game of the group stage and it’s mandatory that we get three points to move forward.”

Said Atiba Hutchinson of the two games this month: “We’ve been waiting a long time for these games. Last time around we didn’t have the best start compared to this time. We’ve had two games with four points which is not the worst so we’re trying to build off of that and everyone’s feeling good in the camp now and we just want to get a good start on Friday.”

Both players and coaching staff have admitted that a win on Friday is essential to their qualification hopes. If Canada can exorcise the demons of Honduras at home in June and actually get a goal or two and register three points, it’ll head to Central America with a world of confidence by virtue of leading the group.

If they drop further points, suddenly playing in a hostile atmosphere at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City will be that much more daunting.

“You want to know you’re going there with something positive. It’s never easy for a team to play these Central American teams away in their stadiums and their fans and stuff like that,” said midfielder Patrice Bernier.

“It’s important for every team especially the Canadian national team to maximize the points at home.”

(Ed. NOTE: Friday’s match is scheduled to be officiated by a Costa Rican crew. Wednesday’s 7.6 magnitude quake centred in Costa Rica was also felt in Panama and Nicaragua. CONCACAF has confirmed it is monitoring the situation, but any changes made to scheduled games falls under the jurisdiction of FIFA)