Canada may be on the verge of World Cup qualification but coach John Herdman is still looking for improvements.

In the lead-up to ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 match against No. 42 Costa Rica, Herdman said he spoke to the team leadership group about B次元官网网址渟taying away from the occasion.B次元官网网址� And while the 33rd-ranked Canadian men have won six straight in qualifying, which includes victories over the 12th-ranked U.S. and No. 13 Mexico B次元官网网址� he believes there is more in the tank.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l enjoy the game together but weB次元官网网址檒l not get carried away,B次元官网网址� Herdman told reporters. B次元官网网址淪o (we) come back to a bit of humility in the training sessions this week where we identified some areas from January we werenB次元官网网址檛 happy with, areas where some of our stats had dropped below a line that we thought was acceptable for our team.

B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檝e worked hard this week on the process, the process of improving. And those improvements will carry us through the game hopefully.B次元官网网址�

But while wanting to make sure his players focus on getting better B次元官网网址� with Herdman citing game management as a possible area of growth B次元官网网址� rather than pondering the B次元官网网址渆normity of an occasion,B次元官网网址� he made it clear that this Canadian team has bigger goals than just getting to Qatar 2022.

Herdman said he showed the team a two-minute video from his first camp at the helm in Murcia, Spain, in 2018.

B次元官网网址�(It) brought them right back to that moment where as a group we said we would qualify B次元官网网址� and I think every man knows whatB次元官网网址檚 in front of him. TheyB次元官网网址檙e in the front-row seat. Their hands are on the steering wheel. They can do this. They can actually do more than that just qualify. And thatB次元官网网址檚 the exciting bit. And I think thatB次元官网网址檚 the real motivator.B次元官网网址�

Canada (7-0-4, 25 points) has been the surprise package in CONCACAF qualifying, topping the final round-robin table ahead of Mexico and the U.S. (both 6-2-3, 21 points) with Panama fourth (5-4-2, 17 points) and Costa Rica fifth (4-3-4, 16 points).

The top three teams at the conclusion of the current international window will represent North and Central America and the Caribbean in Qatar. The fourth-place finisher will take on a side from Oceania in an intercontinental playoff to see who joins them.

After Costa Rica, the Canadian men host No. 62 Jamaica on Sunday at TorontoB次元官网网址檚 BMO Field before wrapping up qualifying play March 30 against No. 63 Panama on Panama City.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got three missions, weB次元官网网址檝e got three separate groups of guys that are clear on this game, the game in Toronto and the game in Panama. Each one of them has massive significance for this program,B次元官网网址� said Herdman.

The Canadians want to finish first in CONCACAF qualifying, showing they truly belong. And a continued rise up the ranking ladder B次元官网网址� Canada was ranked 94th when Herdman took over in January 2018 B次元官网网址� could help when it comes to the World Cup draw.

A win Thursday and Canada is in. A draw will also suffice if Panama fails to beat Honduras or Mexico wins or ties the U.S. on Thursday. Another clinching scenario would be if Panama ties or loses to Honduras and Mexico beats the U.S.

The Canadian men have qualified for just one World Cup B次元官网网址� in 1986 in Mexico.

Herdman consistently refers to his team as B次元官网网址渘ew Canada,B次元官网网址� saying B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not about two or three players.B次元官网网址�

Asked about key moments for the team, Herdman reeled off a list B次元官网网址� beating the U.S. 2-0 in Toronto in CONCACAF Nations League play in October 2019 in Toronto, posting a 1-0 win in Haiti in a qualifying match last June, showing the squadB次元官网网址檚 depth at the Gold Cup last summer, and Alphonso DaviesB次元官网网址� highlight-reel goal in a 4-1 qualifying win over Panama last October in Toronto.

B次元官网网址淚 think it got the country to believe that we can do this,B次元官网网址� he said of the Davies goal, which showed off the Bayern MunichB次元官网网址檚 starB次元官网网址檚 pace, strength and determination.

As for Costa Rica, Herdman noted its domestic league has been suspended for the last two weeks to allow the national ream to prepare for Canada.

B次元官网网址淭he Costa Rica I saw in November (when Canada won 1-0 in Edmonton), I think is going to be very different to the one weB次元官网网址檙e going to experience in San Jose,B次元官网网址� said Herdman. B次元官网网址淎nd theyB次元官网网址檝e only lost one match in San Jose.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e got a massive purpose, which is to stay alive (in qualifying),B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淢y group of men, they know they can qualify in this game and thatB次元官网网址檚 what we came to do.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擳he Canadian Press