If two weeks of international hiatus means for the majority of players a well-deserved rest, this is not the case for those who have been invited to the national team for friendlies in preparation for the upcoming World Cup which will take place in just over a month.
This is the case for some Canadians who have the opportunity to better prepare, both tactically and strategically as financially, for the big meeting in Qatar.
Five CF Montreal players have received an invitation from Canada to participate in friendly duels. Thus, Kemal Miller, Samuel Peet, Ismail Kony, Alistair Johnston and Joel Waterman packed their bags for the matches against Qatar and Uruguay.
Against the former, Canada easily imposed itself with a score of 2 to 0. Qatar will be the host of the FIFA World Cup and the formation was not at all what I had imagined. She wasn’t able to do anything on the pitch and this poor level of play surprised me a lot. Honestly, I thought Qatar would be more competitive and that kind of match didn’t really help Canada to prepare.
Piette started the match and played the first 60 minutes before being replaced by Kony. The latter showed his skills in trying to find a place in the final selection of the team.
Miller and Johnston also started fencing in their positions and did well. The only CF Montreal member who hasn’t played is Waterman and I was surprised to see that. He’s new to the team’s entourage and I thought John Herdman would use him in this game to be able to rate him against a somewhat “easier” encounter.
However, Match 2 of Maple Leaf, against Uruguay, will be a good test for Herdman’s team against an opponent who has had success in the World Cup. Will this be an opportunity for the head coach to get Waterman into training? We don’t know, but obviously the defender would love to be able to show what he can do.
Controversial Qatar
It was a very controversial decision, in my opinion, to choose Qatar as the host country for the World Cup, especially because of the treatment reserved for foreign workers, but also in connection with the fact that the tournament will take place in November, was unheard of.
FIFA faces a lot of criticism and questions because many of them, whether they are former players or politicians, condemn this choice.
healthy rest
Meanwhile, most CF Montreal players will take advantage of these two weeks of rest to recharge their batteries for the home run of the season and playoffs. It is an opportunity to rest the body and brain while maintaining a good level of physical condition to ensure they are ready to return.
Thus, Wilfried Nancy and his comrades staff He probably gave everyone a complete rest for a few days. I think the CF Montreal coach, when events resume in MLS, will rotate more of his players to give the internationals a break.
It was ranked second in the Eastern League. First place is still within the realm of possibilities, but it is difficult, especially if no more than five players get a rest.
Natalie Sinclair is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Her work highlights timely developments, relevant stories, and practical insights in a professional and reader-friendly manner.