Canada is halfway to an absolute dream start in the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, with three points in the bag and three more on the table Tuesday night in El Salvador (8:30 pm ET; beIN SPORTS).
Friday’s 1-0 victory over Honduras in Vancouver gave the Canada national team and its fans plenty of positive momentum, while a second-choice El Salvador squad (with many of the team’s regular starters currently on strike) is reeling from a lopsided 3-0 loss to Mexico.
Of course, nothing is ever guaranteed – especially in World Cup Qualifying, and especially when it involves a Canadian team’s supposed superiority. While a Canada win isn’t out of the question, neither is a win for the home side, a result that would blow Group A wide open.
If Canada is to earn a second straight win, these five questions will need answering:
1. Can they handle the heat?
It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity … and also the travel, the hostile on- and off-field environment and the usually-infuriating gamesmanship by the opponent. Those factors have traditionally conspired to make games in Central America a nightmare for Canada.
The last time Canada earned a victory in Central America was against Guatemala in November 2004. If they’re hoping to reach "The Hex", they’ll need to find a way to break that hex.
2. How about the man in the middle?
The referee on the day will be familiar to most MLS fans: American Mark Geiger. He was part of the officiating team at last summer’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and has handled plenty of high-profile assignments in his career.
Now, like any referee at any level, some of his decisions have been met with controversy. But one thing’s for sure: He’s unafraid to make a big call in a big moment. There always seems to be at least one “big moment” whenever Canada visits Central America; fans of Les Rouges will be hoping that the man with the whistle sees things their way.
3. Can Junior Hoilett produce more moments of magic?
In just two games with Canada, the 25-year-old midfielder has already proven his worth, first spurring the offense in an October friendly against Ghana, then showing off his skills in creating Canada’s only goal of Friday’s crucial win against Honduras.
While Hoilett's play has proven dynamic, this will be his first road game in CONCACAF, after a decade-long career in England. So the question becomes one of whether he’ll be able to recreate his recent magic, or be felled by the many factors that have affected countless Canadian players before him.
4. Will Canada go for the jugular?
It’s been said often over the past two years, since Benito Floro took over as head coach, that his defensive-minded structure could be a great way for Canada to earn a much-needed point on the road in World Cup Qualifying.
And let’s be clear: A draw on Tuesday would still be a good result for Canada. But with El Salvador in such a state of disarray, and the Canadians unlikely to take a significant number of points from Mexico later in the group stage, this would be a prime opportunity to push for the full three points.
Four points from two games is good, but six points would be absolutely massive. We’ll see whether Canada is content with the former, or pushes for the latter.
5. Who’ll be on the back line?
The center back pairing of Dejan Jakovic and Adam Straith – likely starting alongside each other in the middle for the first time – did a creditable job against Honduras on Friday, even if repeated back passes had Canadian hearts in throats on a few occasions.
Veteran CB David Edgar is on the squad, though he’s coming back from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of last month’s Ghana friendly. His presence on the roster suggests he’d be fit if called upon, so one wonders whether he could get the call in place of Jakovic or Straith.
If that happens, what becomes of the right back, a position thrown into disarray with the injury to regular starter Nik Ledgerwood? Will Jakovic or Straith push right? Will we again see Karl Ouimette, who played against Honduras? Or even young Fraser Aird, normally a winger, who played at right back against Ghana?
Floro might just ride the hot hand, and stick with the quartet that earned a clean sheet on Friday. Whoever ends up back there will need to ensure they’re on the same page with each other and goalkeeper Milan Borjan if Canada are to escape San Salvador with the three-point bounty they seek.
