While Canada may be diving into the deep end against No. 2 Belgium on Wednesday at the World Cup, the team belief appears strong on the eve of its plunge.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 hope no more, we believe,B次元官网网址� veteran midfielder Jonathan Osorio told reporters after training Sunday. B次元官网网址楢nd weB次元官网网址檙e very confident in ourselves.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e want to show that we are a football nation, that we can compete with the best in the world,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淲e want to surprise people because I think people still see us as underdogs and things like this, and Canada and the World Cup, they should just be happy to be here. But thatB次元官网网址檚 not our mentality. WeB次元官网网址檙e here to compete B次元官网网址� to compete at a high level.

B次元官网网址淲e believe within our group. With the quality that we have and our brotherhood we can go as far as we want to go.B次元官网网址�

Midfielder Samuel Piette says Canada is relishing the challenge that awaits

B次元官网网址淚 think in qualifying we played in a way where we were fearless and we want to do that on the biggest stage,B次元官网网址� said the CF Montreal stalwart. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want to back down. We want to be on the front foot and go toe to toe with Belgium.

B次元官网网址淲e just donB次元官网网址檛 want to sit back and enjoy the moment. and take one game at a time and say after B次元官网网址極h yeah it was a great experience, it was good to be thereB次元官网网址� and then weB次元官网网址檒l be back in four years.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Only Cameroon (at No. 43), Ecuador (No. 44), Qatar (No. 50), Saudi Arabia (No. 51) and Ghana (No. 61) are ranked lower than No. 41 Canada in the 32-team World Cup field.

But the Canadians are riding a wave after a glittering qualification campaign contested during the pandemic. John HerdmanB次元官网网址檚 men finished first in the CONCACAF final round robin, above Mexico and the U.S., with an 8-2-4 record in making the tournament for the first time since CanadaB次元官网网址檚 World Cup debut in 1986.

More recently, the Canadians were buoyed by a 2-1 win over No. 24 Japan in a final tournament tune-up.

But the World Cup remains essentially uncharted territory. Canada has yet to score a goal or win on the sportB次元官网网址檚 biggest stage.

Belgium, which finished third four years ago in Russia, is making its 14th trip to the World Cup and will hit the 50-game plateau at the tournament in its second match in Qatar. The Red Devils have 20 wins at 68 goals at the soccer showcase.

Forward Jonathan David, a man of few words, isnB次元官网网址檛 buying the numbers

B次元官网网址淥n any given day, any team can beat anyone,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f it falls on the right day, of course we can win.B次元官网网址�

Piette said the Canadians have set goals on this World Cup journey.

B次元官网网址淲e know itB次元官网网址檚 been a long time coming and we know we have that chance to be first in some stuff like be the first Canadian team to score, to win a game, to get a clean sheet, advance to the next stage,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut you donB次元官网网址檛 realize all the noise thatB次元官网网址檚 back home and around the team while youB次元官网网址檙e in it. The only thing youB次元官网网址檙e concentrating on is the preparation on that first game and what you need to do to get those firsts.

B次元官网网址淚 think people are realizing slowly but surely that weB次元官网网址檙e at the World Cup. But for us itB次元官网网址檚 a football game and a football game we want to win B次元官网网址� Yes, itB次元官网网址檚 a big task. We already know that, but weB次元官网网址檒l be prepared for that. ItB次元官网网址檚 part of our DNA, our identity, being on the front foot and not being scared of anyone. We showed that against the U.S., against Mexico, against the Japanese and why not do that against Belgium.B次元官网网址�

After training in the morning Saturday, the Canadians switched to an evening session Sunday with the temperature a more benign 24 degrees Celsius complete with a cooling breeze.

WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 game against Belgium at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium is a 10 p.m. local time start.

The Canadians practised as Ecuador beat Qatar 2-0 in the tournament opener Sunday at Al Bayt Stadium, some 30 kilometres northeast of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 training facility. It marked the first time the World Cup host has lost the opening game.

While the musical soundtrack to SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 warmup for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 training featured Jamaican dancehall, SundayB次元官网网址檚 playlist had a more African feel with songs from NigeriaB次元官网网址檚 Victony, Soundz and Joeboy, GhanaB次元官网网址檚 Smallgod and Camidoh, and Nigerian-born London-based Kid AlpHa.

Prior to the Canadians taking the field, Herdman and his staff entertained themselves by kicking a ball around. And one tiny part of the desert got a shower thanks to a potent pitch sprinkler system that caught several nearby photographers by surprise. .

Herdman used to run a Brazilian soccer school in his early 20s in England so knows a few things. Perhaps with their tongue slightly in cheek, the Canadian women used to call him the Black Flash in his days in charge of that team, a reference both to his track suit and his ball work.

NOTES: Canada will be wearing all white Wednesday with the goalkeeper in turquoise. Belgium, known as the Red Devils, will be clad in red jerseys and black shorts. FIFA, showing its attention to detail, says the ball kids will be in grey.

B次元官网网址�-

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on .