Canadian coach John Herdman had a grim medical update on Saturday with goalkeeper Milan Borjan and midfielder Stephen Eustaquio joining star Alphonso Davies as marks for the World Cup opener against No. 2 Belgium.
Davies arrived in Qatar on Friday night after undergoing treatment at Bayern Munich for a hamstring strain he suffered on Nov. 6 in a Bundesliga attack at Hertha Berlin. While Bayern said Davies’ involvement in Qatar was “not in jeopardy”, he has not played since.
“My project is to make sure he plays in this World Cup, it’s a dream of years of training for him,” Herdman said. “And not put him in a position where he’s not safe. “
“But I have to say that Belgium is important, we haven’t faced a team of this level since we played Brazil [a 3-2 loss in 2008]. So you want players like Alphonso, either at the start, [coming off] the bench,” he added. “So we’re doing everything we can. “
Herdman said Eustaquio, Canada’s most influential midfielder, suffers “day after day” pain from a muscle problem suffered in training this week.
Is this a set of rules we’re looking to apply now or are you achieving your markers?” said Herman. It’s math: what you can tolerate now for the next 3 days of education to show that you are fit to start.
“If there is no starting position, I am sure he will leave the bench. But there is no certainty that Stephen Eustaquio will start against Belgium at the moment. “
Meanwhile, Borjan felt “something in his abdomen” Thursday’s 2-1 win over No. 24 Japan in Dubai, Herdman said.
“Just as a precaution,” Herdman said.
“[We] are preparing just in case. The next man,” she added with a nervous laugh. “We went through the [World Cup] qualification crusade and it was. Getting what other people would say on paper is your most productive Canadian team. It’s just general for elegance through the minute.
WATCH | John Herdman talks to Soccer North:
Eustaquio is Canada’s artistic force in midfield and has been in top form recently with FC Porto in Portugal.
Borjan is Canada’s No. 1 goalkeeper and team leader with 68 caps for Canada, ranking 41st. In the absence of the injured Maxime Crepeau, his replacements are talented but lack foreign encounters with Dayne St. Clair (two international matches) and James no international matches. Pantermis.
Canada Soccer did not call up any of the players for Saturday.
Herdman will have to weigh the risk-reward with the trio. Is it worth risking someone opposite Belgium, Canada’s top-ranked opponent in Group F, on Wednesday, when some other setback may exclude them from the upcoming games on Nov. 27?opposed to No. 12 Croatia and No. 22 Morocco on December 1?
Herdman said that while Davies was able to participate in some of the tactile paints in training, he “continues to progress to succeed at his most sensitive speed. “
“He still hasn’t reached the most sensible speed and when you have hamstring injuries, that’s the key moment. That’s when the hamstrings are pushed to the limit. “
WATCH | Can Canada get a result from an aging Belgium?:
Herdman noted that his team proved they can win without Davies in the final qualifying round for the CONCACAF World Cup (Canada ruled the eight-nation circular robin with an 8-2-4 record). The Bayern Munich star missed seven of the few games due to illness, with Canada having a 5-2-0 record in his absence, with one of the defeats when Canada had already qualified.
“So it’s nothing that helps me stay up at night,” Herdman said. “I just hope there’s an organization of guys who combine in a way that does whatever it takes. “
But later at the press conference, he said with a laugh: “yes, I wake up with bloodless sweats from time to time wondering. “
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All eyes were on Davies as the 22-year-old from Edmonton left the Canadian school, at a sports club about a 25-minute drive north of Doha. Davies coolly showed some ball skills in the intense heat while waiting for the official start of education, which took position after the media left.
His teammates warmly welcomed him at the end of the warm-up component of the training, passing him a nice but pleasant pat glove. Herdman passed his component through a bullet from Davies’ hand to help him throw it into the human tunnel.
It’s 29 degrees Celsius, looking like 32 degrees for the mid-morning session. A gentle welcome breeze.
The players went out to several leafy fields, a miracle of gardening in the desert. Some look at training bikes with awnings. Others sought refuge in a mini-court next to the pitch before hitting a ball again.
The music accompanying the warm-up — a Jamaican dancehall theme with a playlist that included War Lord’s “Bounty Killer” and Cham’s “Goodas Gal” — was muted as the noon prayer hour offered a more haunting soundtrack.
They stopped the ball game and moved to an adjacent field, pausing out of respect.
When the warm-up resumed, defender Doneil Henry ran with a coach. Henry, who has played 44 games for Canada, was injured before the 2-2 draw with Bahrain No. 85 on November 11 and was not part of the World Cup. roster. He is with the team in a non-player role.
Saturday marked the Canadians’ fourth in Doha and the first since victory over Japan.
WATCH | Doneil Henry talks to CBC Sports’ Andi Petrillo:
Defending World Cup champions France have taken a heavy blow with the news that star striker Karim Benzema is absent from the tournament after tearing a muscle in his left thigh during Saturday’s training.
Benzema was in his first full education consultation with the Blues when he had to withdraw after feeling pain in his left thigh, the FFF said.
“He had an MRI at a [clinical] hospital in Doha, which showed a tear,” the FFF said, adding that it would take him 3 weeks to recover.
“I am very unhappy for Karim, who made this World Cup a main target,” French coach Didier Deschamps said.
Benzema had barely played in recent weeks and it was his first full education consultation with the Blues.
Since winning the Ballon d’Or last month, Benzema has played less than 30 minutes for Madrid after coming off the bench in a Champions League match.
With The Associated Press
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