Canada have taken the final step and qualified for a World Cup for only the second time in history – and even finished first in the final round in North and Central America ahead of the USA and Mexico.
One point would have been enough for the Canadians, but instead the hosts made short work of underdog Jamaica, long out of the draw in the final round, at Toronto’s BMO Field.
The nation coached by Englishman John Herdman, who had always kept ahead of the two big and well-known football teams from the USA and Mexico in the table, pressed the visitors from the start. Pressing, creative and with numerous goals, Canada constantly approached Blake’s goal. Early goal included: After a fine pass from Eustaquio, it was Larin who scored free in front of the box to make it 1:0 (13th minute).
The only reproach the favourites had to make was that they failed to make the most of their chances, and Larin alone could have easily scored a treble. But it took until the 44th minute before Buchanan dispelled the last remaining doubts about their participation in the World Cup. With the kind help of the soaring Jamaican Mariappa, who deflected the ball straight to his feet with his head, the attacker got hold of the ball and pushed it over the line from close range to make it 2-0 (44th).
A former St. Paulian also scores and celebrates
The second 45 minutes then degenerated into a showpiece in the Torono madhouse – including two more icing on the cake on this historic day: First, Hoilett, formerly active for FC St. Pauli between 2008 and 2009 (now FC Reading), processed the ball finely on the left in the penalty area and casually finished from a flowing movement to make it 3:0 into the right corner (82nd). The final goal was scored by Jamaica’s unlucky Mariappa, who shot a cross into his own goal (88).
The result was 4-0 for Canada, although the score on the scoreboard did not matter. More importantly, the win secured the nation’s first World Cup appearance since 1986 (a first-round exit in Mexico) and they can now look forward to the Winter World Cup in Qatar.
