Alphonso Davies was all smiles when he walked on the sphere at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium forward of Crew Canada’s follow Wednesday. You may’t blame the 21-year-old Bayern Munich star for being in a very good temper this week.
Crew Canada’s Alphonso Davies has amusing with teammates throughout a follow session in Edmonton, Alta., on Wednesday November 10, 2021. Canada takes on Costa Rica of their World Cup match on Friday November 12, 2021.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
Davies is making ready to play in his residence metropolis for the primary time as a member of Canada’s nationwide males’s soccer workforce.
“It feels good,” he mentioned.
“I’m joyful to be again. I’m joyful to play in Commonwealth Stadium with the nationwide workforce. It’s wonderful.”
“He’s excited to be again; I can sense it,” Crew Canada head coach John Herdman mentioned.
“He’s smiling, he’s laughing; I imply, who wouldn’t be? It’s a child’s dream isn’t it?”
READ MORE: Spotlight turns to Alphonso Davies ahead of Canada’s World Cup qualifiers in Edmonton
Canada will host Costa Rica at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday and Mexico on Tuesday, Nov. 16. The Canadian workforce at present sits third within the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying standings, with the highest three groups incomes an automated berth into the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match. A pair of wins in Edmonton will put Canada in an excellent place to qualify for its first World Cup since 1986.
There may be strain on Davies to guide Canada in its upcoming matches in Edmonton, however he mentioned the second is not going to be too large for him.
The Canadian males’s soccer workforce at follow making ready for a World Cup qualifying match in Edmonton in opposition to Costa Rica, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021.
Slav Kornik, International Information
“Clearly there might be a bit little bit of butterflies, however on the finish of the day, as soon as the whistle blows, it’s simply me and the workforce specializing in the duty forward of us, which is to get the three factors on Friday,” Davies mentioned.
READ MORE: World Cup qualifying games being played in Edmonton: ‘Come be a part of history’
Herdman is advising his younger star to “play the sport, not the event.”
“If he performs the sport and he actually commits to every thing he’s bought to do in that crimson shirt with this group of males, the group will include him, we all know that,” the coach mentioned.
Davies’ mother and father might be in attendance for each matches. It will likely be the primary time the 21-year-old will play in entrance of his mother and father since he left Edmonton to pursue his soccer goals as a young person.
“(I) noticed my mother and father, (I’m) excited to see them,” Davies mentioned. “I had an enormous smile on my face. My dad’s actually excited for the sport, so I’m joyful that he’s excited for us as effectively.”
“What a second for a child and well-deserved as a result of he shined the highlight on our sport final yr once we didn’t have an excessive amount of to smile about, so he will get his second and I’m hoping he takes it,” Herdman mentioned.
READ MORE: Edmonton to host World Cup qualifiers in November, welcoming Costa Rica, Mexico
Costa Rica is sixth within the CONCACAF standings, six factors again of Canada. Davies and the remainder of the workforce predict a tricky match Friday evening regardless of their place within the standings and Canada’s residence pitch benefit.
“We expect Costa Rica’s a very good workforce,” Davies mentioned. “We will’t take something away from Costa Rica. We all know they made it to the World Cup 2018. They’re a very good workforce coming into this sport.”
Davies has 10 objectives and 15 assists in 28 appearances with the Canadian nationwide workforce. The Edmontonian hopes so as to add to these totals in entrance of his residence crowd on Friday.
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