Canada will face South Africa in a historic World Cup Round of 32 match on Sunday, June 28, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
It is the first time the Canadian men's national team has reached the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup.
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Canada advanced despite a 2-1 group-stage loss to Switzerland in Vancouver. South Africa, ranked 60th in the world, secured its spot by upsetting South Korea 1-0.
Approximately 4,000 Canadian fans have purchased tickets for the match. National fan festivals will broadcast the game across the country.
Davies Declared Fit to Play
Head coach Jesse Marsch confirmed that captain Alphonso Davies is available after recovering from a series of hamstring strains.
Marsch admitted he used the Bayern Munich left back as a decoy during the group stage.
“Now that we have Alphonso back and healthy and ready to perform, I think it's a big moment for the team and a big boost for the team,” Marsch said.
Marsch explained that all players entering camp with minor injuries are nearing full fitness.
He declined to confirm whether Davies would start or specify his position against South Africa's physical transition game.
“Physically in transition and around the goal, being very decisive and athletic and powerful.
So those are things that we usually are equipped with, and so that will challenge our ability to manage that,” Marsch said.
The coach noted that the technical staff managed Davies' recovery alongside personal trainer Matthias Blankenburg. He compared elite athletes to high-performance vehicles.
