Photo credit: the Canadian press
A mix of disappointment and pride lingered in the moments after Canada was ousted from the FIFA World Cup on Saturday.
The Canadian Press reports that the team made history again and again throughout the tournament before falling to Morocco 3-0 in the round of 16.
“We have a lot to be proud of, first and foremost,” said veteran defender Richie Laryea. “But I think right now the feeling is obviously disappointment, because we left a lot on the table there.”
The result ends a historic run in which the national squad nabbed its first point and first win in the men’s tournament and earned a spot in the knockout round for the first time.
Right back Alistair Johnston said he hopes it’s a run that made people across the country proud.
“I just hope … that they saw a Canadian team that was not afraid of anyone, that played how I think we always want all of our Canadian teams to play – it doesn’t matter the spot,” he said.
“We all wore the heart on our sleeve, we left it all out there, we went toe to toe with any challenge that was thrown at us, and we played with that Canadian honesty and just resilience that I think really kind of resonates with the people back home.
Morocco was the higher-ranked nation, entering the tournament at No 7 in FIFA’s official standings while Canada sat at No 30.
Canada controlled the game early and registered four chances in the first half, but couldn’t get a shot past Yassine Bounou, Morocco’s Montreal-born player.
The first opportunity came just five minutes in when vice-captain Stephen Eustaquio sent a corner swinging toward the Morocco goal, only to see Bounou, known as Bono, punch the ball away.
The keeper came up big again five minutes later, stopping a strike from Tani Oluwaseyi just above the six-yard box.
Morocco’s lone chance of the first half came in the 27th minute when midfielder Soufiane Rahimi launched a shot from distance and Canada’s Maxime Crepeau dove to stop the rolling shot.
The Atlas Lions held 56 percent possession across the first half, but it was Les Rouges who had the chances. Canada outshot Morocco 4-1and held a 2-1 edge in on-target shots.
Morocco came into the second half with renewed hunger and took the lead in the 50th minute after Luc de Fougerolles was booked for a bad tackle.
Achraf Hakimi lined up for the free kick at the side of the penalty area and sent the ball to Azzedine Ounahi, stationed at the top. The midfielder got a right-footed shot off, sailing the ball through traffic and into the net to give Morocco a 1-0 advantage.
The goal changed the way both sides played, saod Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch.
Canada had a prime opportunity to equalize in the 77th minute with a free kick from just above the area, but Jonathan David sent his shot well over Morocco’s net.
A giveaway in Moroccan territory turned deadly for the Canadians in the 82nd minute.
Striker Brahim Diaz carried the ball up the field, then sliced it inside the area to Ounahi, who wasted no time blasting a shot off to give the Atlas Lions a 2-0 lead.
Rahimi came within inches of making it 3-0 three minutes later, but his unimpeded shot went off the crossbar.
He instead rolled a low shot past Crepeau in the eighth minute of stoppage time to seal the score.
Marsch made several second-half substitutions in an apparent bid to juice the offence, including bringing Cyle Larin in for Oliwaseyi in the 63rd minute, and replacing Ali Ahmed with Promise David in the 79th.
After the game, Marsch told his players he was proud of them and challenged them to look toward the future.
Canada showed throughout the tournament -and with its performance on Saturday – that it is climbing toward the top of global soccer’s elite, said Eustaquio.
