The lopsided defeat in Macedonia ranks near the top of the list of strange experiences for the Canadian men's national team, and near the bottom as far as performances are concerned.
The three-goal score line actually flatters Canada. The home side out-shot the overwhelmed visitors 10-0 in the first half; and the final tally was 15-4. Yet in spite of it all, Canada could have gotten out of Strumica with a result -- except for the fact that I've never seen a Canadian team miss two penalties in the same match until now. One by Iain Hume who scuffed it wide of the target and the other was saved off the foot of Simeon Jackson.
There's no question Stephen Hart's team was poor; you could see it right from the opening kick off. Macedonia looked like a team which has been playing a string of tough competitive matches, which they have through their World Cup Qualifying campaign. They were battle hardened. Canada looked like a team of misfits who hadn't seen a pitch in months.
Which is in fact the truth as Saturday's match was their first get together since the Gold Cup in July. In spite of the score line, Josh Wagenaar was stellar in goal. After that I'd be lying if I told you anyone else gave a performance worthy of mention. I think to a man, they would agree with me.
As for the whole Macedonia adventure, this was no picnic. The match was originally scheduled for the national stadium in Skopje, which is a decent facility. But it was unexpectedly moved 200 kilometres away to a much smaller, run down facility in Strumica which was full at about 6,000. The official reason was because of construction at the main stadium. Yet when my media pass was printed, it had the main stadium as the match location. Maybe FIFA mandated it? Maybe it's because Strumica is the hometown of star striker Goran Pandev, who scored tow of the three goals from the penalty spot.
The pitch in Strumica was as bad as I've seen going all the way back to a World Cup Qualifier in Cuba nine years ago. The players who remembered that game agreed. There was also no press box and no scoreboard. But none of this really matters. Canada would have lost this game anywhere.
So now it's back to Canada for me and on to Poland for the team. If Macedonia was a problem, look out for a hungry Polish side still stinging from a tough WCQ campaign and ready to pounce.
Canada better have a response.
