Canada will be aiming to secure a first-leg advantage when they take on Suriname in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League on Friday night.
Jesse Marsch's side are the overwhelming favourites to progress to the semi-finals of the competition, but a positive result in the first leg of their last-eight affair would give Suriname hope of securing an upset.
Match preview
Suriname finished second in Group A in the CONCACAF Nations League to secure their spot in the quarter-finals of the competition, claiming seven points from four games, which left them one point behind section winners Costa Rica.
Stanley Menzo's side will enter this match off the back of a 5-1 win over Guyana, while they have only been beaten in one of their last nine games in all competitions, recording five victories in the process.
Natio have a number of recognisable names in their squad, with Middlesbrough's Anfernee Dijksteel, Queens Park Rangers' Kenneth Paal and Real Sociedad's Sheraldo Becker among those set to take to the field in this match.
Becker will enter this game off the back of scoring the winner for Real Sociedad against Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday night, and there is certainly enough talent in the squad to make this an uncomfortable affair for Canada.
Friday's clash will be just the third-ever meeting between Suriname and Canada; the previous two have been won by Canada, including a 4-0 victory when the two teams locked horns in a World Cup qualification fixture back in June 2021.
Canada only played once last month, recording a 2-1 victory over Panama in a friendly, while their two September fixtures saw them beat United States and draw with Mexico, with both of those also non-competitive matches.
Marsch's side are co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico, so they do not need to qualify for the tournament, meaning that the bulk of their matches before then will be friendlies.
Canada have not played a competitive match since the 2024 Copa America, with the national side losing to Argentina in the semi-finals of the tournament before being beaten by Uruguay on penalties in the third-place playoff.
The Reds, who were seeded for the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League, were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the 2023-24 tournament by Jamaica, but they did finish as runners-up in the 2023 finals, losing to the United States.
Canada will host Suriname for the return match on November 19, and it would be a huge shock if Marsch's team did not progress to the semi-finals of the competition considering the difference in the two squads.
Team News
There are not expected to be any surprises when it comes to the Suriname XI for this match, with Becker again set to feature in the final third of the field.
The 29-year-old scored twice against Guyana in the team's last match on October 15, and he will be Suriname's biggest threat, while the forward will be full of confidence following his winner for Real Sociedad against Barcelona last time out.
Gleofilo Vlijter is actually the leading goalscorer in the squad with 15, and the 25-year-old will lead the line, while QPR midfielder Paal should again be in the starting side for the hosts.
As for Canada, there will be a notable absentee on Friday evening, with their star player Alphonso Davies pulling out of the squad as a "precautionary measure due to physical exhaustion", according to Canada Soccer.
Jonathan David, though, is in the squad, and the 24-year-old, who is on the radar of a number of major European clubs, will be bidding to add to the 30 goals that he has managed in 57 caps for his country.
Cyle Larin of Mallorca also has 30 goals for the national side, and the pair are set to feature in the final third of the field, while Celtic's Alistair Johnston should also be a notable starter for the away team.
Suriname possible starting lineup:
Vaessen; Dijksteel, Abena, Pinas, Haps; Malone, Paal; Becker, Pherai, Misidjan; Vlijter
Canada possible starting lineup:
Creapeau; Johnston, Bombito, Cornelius, Laryea; Osorio, Kone, Eustaquio, Shaffelburg; David, Larin
We say: Suriname 0-2 Canada
It is a tough ask for Suriname to overcome Canada over two legs, and we are finding it difficult to predict anything other than a routine away victory for the Reds, who can call upon the superior quality all across the field.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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