While FIFA qualifers offer clearer picture for Canada's World Cup, injuries still cloud Marsch's lineup

With only four games to go before Canada’s men begin their home World Cup, including Saturday’s friendly against Iceland at the newly expanded BMO Field in Toronto, the shape of the most important tournament of their lives is becoming clearer.

The team’s composition is the larger mystery.

Since December’s World Cup draw, Canada has known it will face Switzerland and Qatar in Group B. But Canada also drew the winner of a four-team UEFA playoff, which has meant its opening opponent, on June 12 in Toronto, has been a TBD.

On Thursday, the possibilities narrowed to two. Not long after a constantly evolving Canada finished training in the rain, Italy beat Northern Ireland, 2-0, to reach next Tuesday’s playoff final. Minutes later, Bosnia and Herzegovina came back to tie Wales, 1-1, before winning in a shootout. 

The finalists will meet in Zenica hours before Canada’s home friendly against Tunisia. The winner will advance to that all-important opener in Toronto and its first World Cup — most shockingly for four-time champions Italy — since 2014.

Are the CANMNT players ready to play at the upgraded BMO field?

Jesse Marsch, the men’s head coach, said Friday that he hadn’t paid attention to the results.

“Honestly, I didn’t really watch it that much,” he said. “I’m really lasered in on making sure we get the most out of our camp and these next two matches.”

That’s understandable, because Marsch faces questions at nearly every position, either because of injury or, more thankfully, hard choices between good options.

Principal among them is the wobbly status of Alphonso Davies, Canada’s captain, who hasn’t played for his country in more than a year after enduring a succession of injuries, including a torn ACL. He’s missing this