HOUSTON, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Canada coach Jesse Marsch said on Friday that his team is excited to be in the World Cup Round of 16 and is prepared for a massive challenge against Morocco.
"We're excited. We want to be here. This is where we expected to be, and this is where we want to be," Marsch said in a pre-match press conference at Houston Stadium. "We know that Morocco is going to challenge every single thing we do. This is a team that has literally zero weaknesses."
Canada, one of the tournament's co-hosts, advanced to the Round of 16 with a 1-0 victory over South Africa, securing the country's first-ever World Cup knockout-stage win.
Morocco booked their place in the Round of 16 after edging the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time. The Atlas Lions are seeking a second consecutive World Cup quarterfinal appearance after making history at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Marsch said he has been very honest with his players about the strength of their opponents. "Even when I've sat in front of them and created a match plan, I've basically said to them, 'Look, this team has zero weaknesses,'" he admitted.
Despite the difficult task, the Canada coach wants his team to focus on their own style of play. "We have to try to be good at the things that we care about and that we are good at," Marsch said. "We have to see if that can hold up against an opponent like this."
Although Canada is the underdog, the coach remains determined. "This is our first time in the Round of 16, and it is a big accomplishment for us," he said. "Of course, we are not satisfied. We want to keep going."
Canada defender Alistair Johnston agreed that the team is ready to face a "Goliath" when they take on Morocco.
"We've been pushing so much. We've created so much new history, so many firsts," Johnston said. "Now, this is a chance that we wanted. We wanted to get to the point in the tournament where we're going to get to play an actual Goliath. And that's what this Moroccan team is."
"It's about going out there, enjoying it, and understanding that the whole world is going to be watching," he added. "Let's go out there and put our best foot forward and put in a performance that we can be proud of."
Johnston emphasized that the team's goal is to leave everything on the pitch. "At the end of the day, whether that's 90 minutes or 120 minutes, if you do that, you can walk off that pitch with your head held high, no matter what the result is," Johnston said. "And that's kind of our plan."
Friday's match will mark the second World Cup meeting between the two sides. They previously met in the group stage of the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where Morocco defeated Canada 2-1. Enditem
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