Random thoughts:
1) Canada would have been in with France and Denmark had they beaten Panama. Arguably they're better off where they are.
2) Croatia is even older than Belgium, and Modric has been carrying them around anyway. He's 36. That's the game that makes or breaks it - Morocco is a must win and no sure thing at all, and if you take a point off Belgium you're deliriously happy. Facing them first game of the tournament lets them get the nerves out against a team they weren't going to beat anyway.
3) Having said that... our (sorry, family loyalties run deep) back line is about 700 years old - Canada's youth and pace are not the ideal option for Belgium... Davies could give Meunier fits if he's allowed to roam, to say nothing of David in the middle against our ancient CB's. Of course, that assumes Canada has the ball - I don't know who handles De Bruyne in the middle, and Belgium can still counter with lightning speed.
4) Canada actually got super lucky. Had they been pulled any earlier, they'd have been in with Spain, Germany and Japan. As it is, that's the round of 16 opponent unless they get one of the WC spots (assuming those still exist).
5) USA vs. Iran. Fcuking BRILLIANT.
1) Canada would have been in with France and Denmark had they beaten Panama. Arguably they're better off where they are.
2) Croatia is even older than Belgium, and Modric has been carrying them around anyway. He's 36. That's the game that makes or breaks it - Morocco is a must win and no sure thing at all, and if you take a point off Belgium you're deliriously happy. Facing them first game of the tournament lets them get the nerves out against a team they weren't going to beat anyway.
3) Having said that... our (sorry, family loyalties run deep) back line is about 700 years old - Canada's youth and pace are not the ideal option for Belgium... Davies could give Meunier fits if he's allowed to roam, to say nothing of David in the middle against our ancient CB's. Of course, that assumes Canada has the ball - I don't know who handles De Bruyne in the middle, and Belgium can still counter with lightning speed.
4) Canada actually got super lucky. Had they been pulled any earlier, they'd have been in with Spain, Germany and Japan. As it is, that's the round of 16 opponent unless they get one of the WC spots (assuming those still exist).
5) USA vs. Iran. Fcuking BRILLIANT.