The CanMNT are looking to finish off an excellent 2024 on a high against Suriname in the Nations League – Canadian Premier League

Since Jesse Marsch took over as Canadian men’s national team manager in May, his 11 games in charge have all come against teams ranked in the top 50 in the world by FIFA at the time.

That included playing world number one Argentina twice at a Copa América, second-placed France, eighth-placed Netherlands and top 20 nations such as Uruguay (14), Mexico (16) and the United States (18).

On Friday, Canada travels to Paramaribo in Suriname to take on the 136th-ranked nation in the world in what, on paper, should be their easiest game yet in 2024. But as the first game of a home-and-away Concacaf The Nations League quarter-finals, with the second leg on Tuesday 19 November at BMO Field, these are also some of the most important games of the year.

Against Suriname, Canada will not only be looking to end a historic 2024 — which included a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Copa América and some strong results and performances against some of the best countries in the world — on a high. Defeating Suriname is crucial to setting up this team to reach even greater heights in 2025.

Winning this tie would not only put Canada in the Concacaf Nations League final four for the second time to be contested in March at SoFi Stadium, but would also mean automatic qualification for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. Given Canada’s ambitions and recent results against continental opposition, they will have designs on lifting their first piece of silverware since 2000 in at least one of these competitions. Friday is the start of that process.

While 101 places separate Canada from Suriname in the FIFA rankings, the task is not quite as straightforward as it might first appear. After all, they fell to Jamaica on aggregate in the quarter-finals of last year’s Nations League competition.

The Suriname team, meanwhile, has plenty of top talent, including veteran Eredivisie goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen, experienced centre-back Stefano Denswil, Ridgeciano Haps, who plays in Serie A with Venezia and Real Sociedad striker Sheraldo Becker, who might be one of the best number nine. in the region.

This match is also Marsch’s first road event in Concacaf, which will bring its own challenges. Paramaribo is still a long way from Florida, where Canada held the majority of their pre-match training camp, and Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadium is an artificial turf surface that may not be entirely conducive to playing the kind of high-tempo soccer that has brought Canada success.

An ability to win on the road in Concacaf won’t carry the same weight it did for previous Canada managers. Marsch’s men won’t have to go through the same World Cup qualification gauntlet over the next few years, having already qualified as hosts for 2026. But it’s still never an easy proposition.

Canada will also be without several key players, including captain Alphonso Davies, who required rest in this window after a hectic schedule to start 2024. Meanwhile, Derek Cornelius and Liam Millar also miss out with injuries.

However, they do get back Inter Milan’s Tajon Buchanan, who may lack match fitness after breaking his leg in training at this summer’s Copa América, remains one of the team’s star players. Ismaël Koné also returns from a more minor injury and veteran Junior Hoilett is back in camp, while Sam Adekugbe steps in for Davies.

But really, if Canada stays focused and organized like they have so far under Marsch, this should be a pretty comprehensive fight. There was some concern about the threat Suriname posed the last time Canada met them in the first round of 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Instead, Canada picked up a comfortable 4-0 win thanks to a Jonathan David hat-trick in the second half.

The Iceman has scored in Canada’s past two windows and has been even more lethal for the club with 13 goals in 18 games this season for Lille, including four out of four games in the UEFA Champions League. Perhaps this window will be a chance for Canada to have an offensive breakout overall under Marsch, as they still haven’t scored more than two goals in a game under the new manager, with just eight goals in eleven in total.

But these games are more about continuing positive momentum, while perhaps giving a few new faces a chance to get some big minutes in the new system. The only way that momentum can really continue is for Canada to defeat Suriname and ensure that their 2025 starts with competitions.

PROJECTED LINEUPS

Suriname: Vaessan; van Gelderen, Abena, Pinas, Haps; Malone, Paul; Becker, Pherai, Misidjan; Vlijter

Canada: St. Clair; Johnston, Bombito, Waterman, Adekugbe; Ahmed, Koné, Eustáquio, Shaffelburg; Larin, David

ALL-TIME SERIES

Suriname to win: 0 || Canada to win: 2 || Ties: 0

Last meeting:

8 June 2021 – Canada 4-0 Suriname