CARSON, Calif. – Canada went winless during group play at the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup, with draws against Costa Rica and guest side South Korea, then went on a tear to win the championship, knocking off Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Colombia in quick succession.
It's not a recipe for Gold Cup success these days, with a larger, 12-nation field and greater prestige and reward forging greater competition, and the Canadians have learned that the hard way in the past two editions.
They finished ninth in 2011 and 11th in 2013, failing to advance from the group stage after dropping their tournament openers. That's been in the back of their minds as they've prepared for this year's edition and Wednesday night's Group B opener against El Salvador at StubHub Center (10:30 pm ET; Sportnet World in Canada | FOX Sports/UniMás/UDN in US).
“You look back at 2013 and 2011, first game of the tournament, we lose both of them, and the rest was history,” midfield leader Julian de Guzman said during the Gold Cup news conference Tuesday evening. “That's the difference that we have to go into this tournament, is coming out with a result the first game which puts us in the driver's seat and in a better position for the rest of the games in the group.”
El Salvador is likely a must-win game for Canada, which follows with games Saturday against Jamaica in Houston and next Tuesday against group favorites Costa Rica in Toronto. The Salvadorans are considered the weakest side in Group B, but head coach Benito Floro doesn't see it that way.
“It's a serious, well-organized team with good players,” Floro says of Canada's first foe. “Also a team that has very good preparation for set pieces. I'm taking them very, very serious. And we know Canada is going to be under pressure, but that is good for Canada and also for the focus and concentration of the players.”
An opening-game win has started Canada toward the knockout phase in all but two previous tournaments, and they played in three-team groups in both of those, in 1998 and 2003. They won their first-round groups in 2007, when they reached the semifinals, and 2009, when they made it to the final eight.
In 2011, Canada dropped a 2-0 decision to the United States in their opener, followed with a win over Guadeloupe, then failed to advance after a 1-1 draw with Panama. They failed to recover two years ago from an opening-game loss to Martinique, which won with a stoppage-time goal, losing to Mexico and tying Panama to finish last in their group.
“When it comes to tournaments, every game is crucial, but the most important game of every tournament usually is the first game,” de Guzman said. “It sets the rhythm, the tempo, and allows the players to find confidence within themselves.”
Canada has confidence coming into this year's Gold Cup after successive shutout victories over Guatemala and Puerto Rico in March and Dominica in both legs of last month's 2018 World Cup qualifying opener.
“The mood in the squad has been very positive,” de Guzman said. “The training sessions have been on point, the intensity and sharpness has been good. Now it comes to what level are we in this tournament. We're coming off positive results against Dominica, and I think that's something this team has been missing for many years -- in the last Gold Cup, as well. This time, guys know what we have to do, and we've been working on it a lot, and we're excited to finally demonstrate what we're capable of doing.”
