Canada plays its final match of the men's 2022 FIFA World Cup on Thursday and it comes against a Morocco side that has thoroughly impressed thus far.
After defeating Belgium and drawing against Croatia, a point is now enough for the Atlas Lions to secure a place in the Round of 16. A win, though, would put the African side top of the group and thereby avoid Group E’s expected winner Spain.
In short, Canada is going up against a very good team that has plenty to play for. Here are the keys to pulling off an upset and earning the country’s first point(s) at a men’s World Cup:
It can both be true that Canada was thoroughly outplayed by Croatia’s midfield and that the team could have been better set up to mitigate the threats of Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, and Marcelo Brozovic.
With Atiba Hutchinson struggling to keep up and Stephen Eustaquio suffering a hamstring injury, the real estate in that area of the pitch came at a severely discounted price to Croatia and should have been addressed sooner.
Hutchinson even admitted after the match that Canada uncharacteristically lost its shape and so a response is needed.
Tactical nous has been a hallmark of Herdman’s career and in the opening match against Belgium. This match presents an opportunity to show the Croatia match was an anomaly.
With the midfield fitness concerns, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see 20-year-old Ismael Kone earn his first start of the tournament, and his pace and dynamism should be well suited for Morocco. Jonathan Osorio may also be likely to figure after impressing twice as a substitute.
Morocco has been one of the most defensively organized teams at the World Cup to this point and are yet to concede a goal.
In fact, Morocco has now gone 622 minutes without conceding across all competitions.
It will be a major test for Canada to crack through a Morocco back four that includes Premier League duo Romain Saiss and Nayef Aguerd, as well as Sofyan Amrabat, who offers protection as a defensive midfielder in front of them and is having an excellent tournament.
If Canada can’t break through the middle, it will come down to what can be accomplished on the wings through the likes of Alphonso Davies and Tajon Buchanan who have been key to the team’s attacks thus far.
Unlike Croatia and Belgium, Canada won’t head into this matchup with a significant advantage in speed.
Canada’s Davies and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi are two of the fastest players on the planet while the likes of Noussair Mazraoui, Hakim Ziyech, and Sofiane Boufal are pacy with the ball at their feet as well.
Sam Adekugbe may get his first start of the tournament at left-back after Richie Laryea played there in the last match. He would only add to the pace Canada already has on offer in the form of Davies, Buchanan, and Jonathan David.
Better late than never, David and Cyle Larin need to figure into the equation more strongly than they have through two matches.
Larin did play an integral role in Canada’s first goal at a men’s World Cup but struggled to have any influence after that and was substituted to start the second half.
David had one quality shot saved against Croatia but on the whole has been underwhelming when facing goal. He seemed to force the issue against Belgium but looked a bit more comfortable in the second match, so hopefully third time’s the charm for the Lille forward.
Canada looked a physically and emotionally drained side over the course of the match against Croatia.
The understandable adrenaline rush of Davies’ goal 67 seconds in was overcome by a Croatia side that has been there, done that and was completely unfazed in seeking solutions and wearing Canada down knowing there was virtually the entire match to play.
Even for coach Herdman, he seems to have learned from his comment in the heat of the moment before the Croatia match and has been very respectful of Morocco as this match approaches.
This is all part of the learning curve for a young Canada team and this match against Morocco will be a good test to see how quickly they’ve learned from past lessons.
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
A mother shares with CTVNews.ca her family's health scare as medical experts say cases of the disease and other respiratory illnesses have surged, filling up emergency departments nationwide.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday that Moscow has tested a new intermediate-range missile in a strike on Ukraine, and he warned that it could use the weapon against countries that have allowed Kyiv to use their missiles to strike Russia.
Approximately 85,000 new passports are being held back by Service Canada, which stopped mailing them out a week before the nationwide Canada Post strike.
Taylor Swift is officially back in Toronto for round two. The popstar princess's motorcade was seen driving along the Gardiner Expressway on Thursday afternoon, making its way to the downtown core ahead of night four of ‘The Eras Tour’ at the Rogers Centre.
Manitoba RCMP have issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for the semi-driver involved in a crash that killed an eight-year-old girl and her mother.
Canadians won’t have to pay GST on a selection of items this holiday season, the prime minister vowed on Thursday.
The mother of an infant who died after being found at an apartment building in midtown Toronto on Wednesday has been charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life.
A man from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who was scammed while selling his Porsche Cayenne online is sharing his cautionary tale – while calling for increased protections from the government.
The leaders of Nova Scotia’s three main political parties will take part in a roundtable discussion at CTV Atlantic in Halifax on Thursday.
Approximately 85,000 new passports are being held back by Service Canada, which stopped mailing them out a week before the nationwide Canada Post strike.
Calgary police are seeking information in relation to a Tuesday fire in Hillhurst they believe was deliberately set and notes left in the area demanding Bitcoin.
Uncertainty is a key theme this year at the annual, three-day gathering in Halifax of political leaders, defence officials and policy analysts who aim to promote democratic values around the globe.
A high school on Prince Edward Island is removing pictures of its late students from a memorial wall – a decision that has upset one mother whose daughter attended the school.
A man from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who was scammed while selling his Porsche Cayenne online is sharing his cautionary tale – while calling for increased protections from the government.
A recent lawsuit alleges Linda McMahon, who U.S. President-elect Donald Trump tapped to lead the Department of Education, knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) employee as early as the 1980s — allegations she denies.
Brazil's federal police said Thursday they indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people on charges of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his electoral defeat in the 2022 elections.
More than 60 years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, conspiracy theories still swirl and any new glimpse into the fateful day of Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas continues to fascinate.
The son of Norway's crown princess will be jailed for up to one week while police investigate accusations of rape made against him, a judge ruled on Wednesday.
A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Pete Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report made public late Wednesday.
The US government formally proposed a partial breakup of Google on Wednesday, urging a federal judge to force a sale of the company’s Chrome web browser after a landmark ruling this year found that Google had violated US antitrust law with its search business.
Canada's consul general in New York doubled-down Thursday on his past claim that he exerted no influence on the decision of Global Affairs Canada to buy a $9 million condo in Manhattan.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will 'abide' by an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
A mother shares with CTVNews.ca her family's health scare as medical experts say cases of the disease and other respiratory illnesses have surged, filling up emergency departments nationwide.
What kind of exercise is best during chilly weather? How can people safely and enjoyably participate in physical activity outdoors when it’s cold out?
A Dallas anesthesiologist was sentenced Wednesday to 190 years in prison for injecting a nerve-blocking agent and other drugs into bags of intravenous fluid at a surgical center where he worked, leading to the death of a coworker and causing cardiac emergencies for several patients.
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is inviting Canadians to choose the name of the first Canadian Lunar Rover.
Astronomers have captured the first close-up image of a star beyond our galaxy, taken during a dramatic moment near the end of the star’s life. In it, the 'behemoth' star appears to puff out gas and dust, a critical final step before exploding in a supernova.
A rare kind of fruit fly has been caught by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists at Detroit Metro Airport.
Pamela Hayden, the longtime voice actor behind Milhouse Van Houten — Bart Simpson's very uncool friend — is stepping away after 35 years of whining.
Everybody who lived in Edmonton in the 1980s knew it was famous for two things: the mall and the Oilers.
A musical gem was recently uncovered from the vaults of the Luther Vandross Estate — a soulful, never-before-heard rendition of The Beatles' song 'Michelle.'
FunGuyz, which calls itself the biggest magic mushroom dispensary in Canada, says it's shutting down all 30 of its Ontario locations.
A temporary pause on charging the federal sales tax on many items has retailers excited, even though they say preparing for the relief will mean a lot of extra work in a short period of time.
Irving Tissue said it needs to expand in Macon because the mill is currently selling all the bath tissue and paper towels it can make
The world's tallest woman and the world’s shortest woman have met for afternoon tea in London to celebrate Guinness World Records Day.
Sandra Kroek and her grandson Remington spent 200 hours painting a massive Star Wars mural together.
CTVNews.ca wants to hear from digital nomads who have taken up location-independent jobs and can work from anywhere with an internet connection.
Sea Bears centre Chad Posthumus has died at age 33.
It’s fair to say 2024 has been quite a year for Italian tennis, especially for Jasmine Paolini who capped the best season of her career by winning the decisive match in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals against Slovakia to secure Italy’s first title in 11 years.
Major League Baseball will test robot umpires as part of a challenge system during spring training at 13 ballparks hosting 19 teams, which could lead to regular-season use in 2026.
Northvolt AB has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, but said the move will not jeopardize the manufacturer's planned electric vehicle battery plant in Quebec — though hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars invested in the parent company could be lost.
Canadian drivers are regularly in a hurry to get to their destination and a majority are willing to take unnecessary risks on the road, according to the results of a new survey.
A man from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who was scammed while selling his Porsche Cayenne online is sharing his cautionary tale – while calling for increased protections from the government.
After driving near the water that winter day, Brian Lavery thought he saw a dog splashing in the waves – then realized it was way too cold for that.
Toronto radio and podcast host Jax Irwin has recently gone viral for videos of her cute -- and at times confusing -- phone conversations.
Two young women from New Brunswick have won one of the most prestigious and sought-after academic honours in the world.
Stretching 3,000 kilometres from the tip of New Zealand to its southernmost point, with just a bicycle for transport and a tent to call home, bikepacking event Tour Aotearoa is not for the faint of heart.
When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours.
When George Arcioni began renovating his kitchen last summer, he didn’t expect to find a stack of letters hidden in the wall behind his oven.
A Nova Scotia couple fulfilled their wildest dreams Thursday night when they got engaged at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Toronto.
Some Calgary residents caught what appeared to be a meteor streaking across the sky early on Wednesday morning.
Four years ago, Phill Hebb started up 'Phil’s Unique Birdhouses' and since then, they’ve made their way all across Canada and into the United States.
A man who drove a car into B.C.'s Burrard Inlet in a livestreamed social media stunt has been sentenced to one year of probation and will not have a criminal record if he complies with court-ordered conditions.
The B.C. RCMP has begun its rollout of police-worn cameras, and officers with the Mission detachment will be the first to use them next week.
A man from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who was scammed while selling his Porsche Cayenne online is sharing his cautionary tale – while calling for increased protections from the government.
Taylor Swift is officially back in Toronto for round two. The popstar princess's motorcade was seen driving along the Gardiner Expressway on Thursday afternoon, making its way to the downtown core ahead of night four of ‘The Eras Tour’ at the Rogers Centre.
Two people have been arrested and another suspect remains at large in connection with a fatal shooting in Brampton earlier this month.
The mother of an infant who died after being found at an apartment building in midtown Toronto on Wednesday has been charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life.
Calgary Fire Department is responding to an explosion at a six-plex in the city's southeast.
Calgary police are seeking information in relation to a Tuesday fire in Hillhurst they believe was deliberately set and notes left in the area demanding Bitcoin.
Calgary police are looking for dash-cam footage as they investigate a shooting in the community of Cityscape believed to be the result of road rage.
The student union at the University of Ottawa says it will consider pulling its participation from the U-Pass, which provides discounted transit fares for students, if the city goes forward with hiking student transit fees and violating the program’s contract.
Two people have been arrested following a protest outside Stornoway, the official residence of Canada's leader of the Opposition.
McDonald's Canada says it has not closed the door on a return to Ottawa's downtown.
The lobby of Concordia University’s Hall Building was flooded with pro-Palestinian protesters Thursday as others gathered and chanted outside the campus as part of Quebec-wide solidarity strikes.
Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard tabled an economic update on Thursday with $2.1 billion in new spending over five years amid what he described as a stronger-than-expected recovery from last year's economic slowdown.
Northvolt AB has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, but said the move will not jeopardize the manufacturer's planned electric vehicle battery plant in Quebec — though hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars invested in the parent company could be lost.
The Alberta government is making changes to auto insurance, including rate hikes and switching to a predominantly no-fault claims model.
Alberta is forecasting a $4.6-billion surplus for this fiscal year, but Finance Minister Nate Horner says "mounting pressures" threaten to soon put the province in the red.
A trio of top-line Edmonton Oilers will be missing from action Thursday.
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
A high school on Prince Edward Island is removing pictures of its late students from a memorial wall – a decision that has upset one mother whose daughter attended the school.
A 36-year-old Fredericton man is facing several charges, including forcible confinement, after police say five people were taken hostage in the city.
Manitoba RCMP have issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for the semi-driver involved in a crash that killed an eight-year-old girl and her mother.
Sea Bears centre Chad Posthumus has died at age 33.
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Evraz North America says an investigation is underway after a contractor was fatally injured while on the job in Regina on Nov. 19.
The Regina Pats have announced a blockbuster trade Thursday that sees captain Tanner Howe on his way to Calgary to play for the Hitmen as the team continues rebuilding for the future.
The Grey Cup Champion has officially been crowned for the 2024 season and once again it did not go to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. On Thursday, General Manager, Jeremy O'Day, spoke to media to break down another year.
FunGuyz, which calls itself the biggest magic mushroom dispensary in Canada, says it's shutting down all 30 of its Ontario locations.
A busy Kitchener street could be closed for several hours after a crash involving a Grand River Transit vehicle.
A fight between rival outlaw motorcycle gangs has led to multiple arrests, more than a dozen charges and the seizure of 17 firearms.
A Saskatchewan tuxedo business says struggles with inflation and operating costs have caused it close stores across the province.
Alberta-based non-profit the Mustard Seed is stepping up to run Saskatoon's Lighthouse.
As Saskatoon recovers from Monday night’s snowstorm, community organizations are stepping up to provide shelter and support to those experiencing homelessness.
After years of delays, the province has pulled the plug on an addiction treatment centre in North Bay. A news release from Canadore College on Thursday confirmed the centre won’t be moving forward.
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
The City of Elliot Lake said Thursday it has received a $3-million donation from Edward and Suzanne Rogers for the Centennial Arena restoration.
Concerned staff and students continue to look for progress on divestment issues by Western University administration.
Police say that on Thursday, November 21 between the hours of 1:30 a.m., and 4:30 a.m. the suspect came and went from a residence on Conway Drive.
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in Canada, according to Grey Bruce Public Health Unit.
With the rise of cryptocurrency investment scams, the OPP have launched ‘Project Atlas’ this week, an initiative to clamp down on investment fraud.
An armed stand-off ... 16 hours in length... requiring dozens of officers and reinforcements. Heavily armed tactical officers and crisis negotiators responding to a mental health call in the heart of the city... and limited communication from police during the ordeal.
Windsor police are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect wanted in connection to an alleged serious assault that happened this past summer.
Approximately 85,000 new passports are being held back by Service Canada, which stopped mailing them out a week before the nationwide Canada Post strike.
A recent ruling by the NCAA allowing major junior hockey players to maintain college eligibility is starting to change the hockey landscape.
Vancouver Island’s major crime unit is investigating the case of a Victoria teenager whose death was initially ruled an accidental overdose, but has since been reclassified by coroners as a homicide.
One person is dead after a fire that destroyed a home in Nanaimo's south end Wednesday morning.
Another fall storm is forecast to bring high winds to B.C.’s South Coast on Friday, Environment Canada says.
Police are appealing for information on a targeted shooting that resulted in the hospitalization of a man in Kamloops.
British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
B.C. RCMP say one person was killed in a head-on crash on the Trans-Canada Highway near Salmon Arm on Wednesday.
There’s a new way to give this holiday season.
Lethbridge police say four teenagers have been arrested in connection with an autumn attack that saw a 16-year-old badly injured.
The City of Elliot Lake said Thursday it has received a $3-million donation from Edward and Suzanne Rogers for the Centennial Arena restoration.
Students in Sault College’s business accounting program have a new learning pathway that will ultimately give them a head start to a career.
The Transport Safety Board of Canada says the crew of a Porter Airlines flight landing in Sault Ste. Marie in April 2023 didn't realize the plane was so far down the runway.
A Newfoundland energy company's embrace of data centres is raising doubts about eastern Canadian hopes of harnessing the region's howling winds to supply Germany with power from green hydrogen.
An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy.
A company hoping to build a multi-billion-dollar wind-to-hydrogen project in western Newfoundland is eyeing other options as Canada's plans to supply Europe with green energy have not yet materialized.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
