(San José) Everything was there. The hostile crowd. A packed, thunderous stadium. And the opportunity for Canada to qualify for a first World Cup in 36 years.
Posted at 12:16 a.m.
Updated at 0:28
But the wait will have to continue for a few more days.
“It was not supposed to happen tonight, commented John Herdman in a press conference after the match. It’s written in the sky that we have to do it at home. »
Canada lost 1-0 on Thursday night at the Estadio Nacional in San José. Despite a brilliant 10v11 effort for nearly an hour of play. And in front of 35,000 spectacularly loud Costa Rican fans. Passionate. They propelled theirs with each touch of the ball from La Sele. They hissed the Canadians copiously when they approached the slightest bit of leather.
You could tell they would have swollen tongues and lips after Canada’s second half. The visitors were dominant, even with one player less. The attacks came in waves.
“We were brave, noted the coach. We were in our zone. We played a fluid and excellent style of play. »
“I’m really proud of my teammates,” said Milan Borjan to the media. To play 10 men like that for 60 minutes is incredible. We dominated the game, but that was not going to happen for us tonight. »
Jonathan David hit the crossbar at the 56and minute, in particular. Then his shot hit the right post in the 88and.
PHOTO CARLOS GONZALEZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Costa Rican players savor their victory.
Canada sat in the Costa Rican penalty box for the last 10 minutes of the game.
“We could have stayed there until 2, 3 in the morning and the ropes wouldn’t have moved,” Herdman said.
Costa Rica held firm. And he stays alive in the race for the top 4 of the octagonal.
An eventful first half
Clearly, the mission for Canada early in the game was to contain the Costa Rican push. We knew the locals were going to storm out of the blocks. It was enough to let the first 15 or 20 minutes pass without drama, even if we played a little nervous. Not bad what happened.
Not smoothly. Mark-Anthony Kaye received a yellow – or yellow-orange – card in the 15and minute. We checked at the VAR if he deserved the total. The crowd shouted its wish: “Roja! Roja! But he was not answered. Not immediately.
PHOTO MAYELA LOPEZ, REUTERS
Keysher Fuller and Richie Laryea
Subsequently, Canada found its bearings. He made his famous climbs on the wings, pushed by Tajon Buchanan on the right, in particular.
At the 35and, the crowd, which was literally giving momentum to its players, was finally granted. Mark-Anthony Kaye received a second yellow. And it was deserved. As if he was looking for it, this red. Johan Venegas’ Oscar-worthy performance is debatable, but the fact remains that the gesture was risky – to put it mildly – on the part of the Canadian.
“He’s disappointed, but he’s an incredible guy,” Borjan said warmly. He was told, in the locker room, not to lower his head. We will try to do the work for you. You are our brother, we are a family. »
But what had to happen happened. Celso Borges scored for the hosts in the added time of the first half. A nice head shot.
That goal would take Costa Rica to a fourth win in five games. For Canada, it is a very first defeat in the Octagonal, after 12 games. Did the crowd have an impact on the result? Not according to John Herdman.
“These guys played at Stamford Bridge, Besiktas. A crowd is a crowd. They played their football. »
Note that the young Ismaël Koné, 19-year-old midfielder from CF Montreal, made his debut in the 79and minute of the meeting. A first presence with Canada for the one who made his professional debut this winter.
“On a personal level, I did what I had to do,” he said in the mixed zone. I was able to come back and help the team keep attacking. It’s not the result we wanted, but there are still two games left and that’s fine. »
Asked about his emotions when he learned he would take to the pitch for the end of the game, Koné said he was “happy, excited”.
“We played in a beautiful stadium with lots of fans. These are moments for which, as footballers, we want to play. »
If we obviously wanted to close the books on Canada’s qualification on Thursday, the opportunity remains immense to do so in Toronto on Sunday.
“It will be good to see how the leadership of this team comes together over the next two days,” Herdman said.