Canada men expect challenges in Suriname series, from the heat to Dutch influence

After crossing swords with heavyweights like Argentina, France, the Netherlands and Uruguay this year, the Canadian men return to competitive CONCACAF action Friday with the opening leg of their Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

Ranked No. 136 in the world, Suriname is 101 places below Canada. But thanks to its former colonial ties, its football has a distinctly Dutch flavour.

"We're excited for the challenge," Canada coach Jesse Marsch, speaking in Paramaribo, told a virtual availability Thursday "Since I've been here, we've played a lot of big opponents and familiar opponents. Now we have one that's a little unfamiliar and one we know will cause us some challenges."

The return leg is Tuesday at Toronto's BMO Field.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

The Suriname squad includes players with clubs in Cyprus, Denmark, England, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Russia, Spain and Sweden.

The Suriname attack features Dutch-born Sheraldo Becker, who plays in Spain for Real Sociedad.

"He's absolutely rapid and an extremely talented player," said Canada and Celtic defender Alistair Johnston, who faced Becker in the 2021 meeting.

The Canadians spent the week training in Florida, in part to prepare for Suriname's heat. The forecast for Friday at Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion calls for evening temperatures of 26 C, feeling like 30 C.

If the Canadian men need a reminder of what can happen in CONCACAF play, they need only to reflect on last year's Nations League quarterfinal when they lost to Jamaica on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw.

In quarterfinal action Thursday, No. 61 Jamaica hosted the 18th-ranked U.S. and No. 39 Costa Rica entertained No. 50 Panama. On Friday, it's No. 16 Mexico at No. 77 Honduras.

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the U.S. and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

The Suriname series marks a return for Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, who broke a leg in training at this summer’s Copa America. The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who earned his 63rd cap in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm, is also back. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, is filling in for injured winger Liam Millar.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

Canada is without captain Alphonso Davies, who did not make the trip as a precautionary measure "due to physical fatigue." Also missing is centre-back Derek Cornelius, who suffered a rib cartilage injury playing for Marseille.

Vice-captain Stephen Eustaquio will lead Canada in Davies' absence. Johnston, meanwhile, is in line to earn his 50th cap Friday.

"Alistair's a huge part of what we're doing," said Marsch. "He's performing at an incredibly high level with his club team, becoming an attacking threat which I think will be something that we will use as well with what we're doing here."

"There's no doubt that inside the group that we all know that, as a leader and as a player, he's getting better and better and bigger and bigger in terms of what he means to us," he added.

Canada defeated No. 39 Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2024

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press