HOUSTON, July 3 (Reuters) – Canada need to focus on staying aggressive at the back and ready to close down a Morocco side with “zero weaknesses” when they square off in the World Cup round of 16 on Saturday, coach Jesse Marsch said on the eve of the match.
The African side have put in World Cup performances underlining a reputation as a top side with a dangerous midfield bursting with mobility and fluidity that can punish Canada if all 11 players on the pitch fail to stick to the plan, he added.
“This is where we expect to be and this is where we want to be, and we know that Morocco is going to challenge every single thing we do and this is a team that has literally zero weaknesses,” Marsch said.
“We have to try to be good at the things that we care about and that we are good at, and we have to see if that can hold up against an opponent like this.”
Canada’s remarkable World Cup run has already secured their team a place in the country’s sporting folklore, but Marsch said his side have plenty more to achieve when they face the 2022 semi-finalists in Houston.
Revenge also plays no role in preparing for the encounter after Morocco defeated Canada 2-1 in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, he added.
“There’s not a ton of motivation for anyone in our camp to say that we lost last World Cup to Morocco and now we need to right that wrong,” he said.
“This is a different time. They’re a different team. We’re a different team. This is a very different moment and we just want to do everything we can to find a way to get the result.”
Canada have notched their first World Cup point and win during the tournament with Marsch acknowledging his players take on a side that play with swagger and confidence.
But the return of talisman Alphonso Davies — who played his first minutes at the tournament in the round-of-32 victory over South Africa as a 75th-minute substitute — could boost Canada with Marsch saying the player would be available.
“They know how big a moment this is,” he said. “I expect their best performance of the tournament and it would be foolish to expect anything else.”
(Reporting by Michael Kahn, Editing by Christian Radnedge)
