El Salvador vs. Canada | Gold Cup Match Preview

El Salvador vs. Canada
2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
July 8 | 10:30 pm ET | StubHub Center, Carson, Calif.
TV: FOX Sports 2, UniMás, UDN in US
Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World in Canada

The opening game of a tournament can never, by definition, be a must-win game. But for both Canada and El Salvador, the Gold Cup opener presents a crucial opportunity to pick up three points and buoy their hopes of reaching the quarterfinals.

- - -

MOMENTUM OR MIRAGE? Canada come into this game riding a four-game winning streak, something the team have not accomplished since 2009. But those wins came in two friendlies and two World Cup qualifiers against No. 168-ranked Dominica. Is this streak the sign of a real turnaround for head coach Benito Floro’s side or will the team crumple in the Gold Cup spotlight?

TALE OF TWO TEAMS: El Salvador needed a late equalizer to scrape out a draw in St. Kitts and Nevis last month, then thumped the Caribbean side 4-1 in the second leg back in El Salvador. Clearly the home-field advantage did the team some good, and they could again benefit from what’s expected to be a decent contingent of Salvadoran support in Carson.

FORCED INTO ACTION: A couple of stalwarts will be missing for the Canadian team, as star midfielder Atiba Hutchinson (injury) and No. 1 goalkeeper Milan Borjan (club commitments) aren’t on the squad. In goal, it’s a chance for long-serving veteran Kenny Stamatopoulos to step into the starter’s role, while in the midfield, youngsters such as Jonathan Osorio and Russell Teibert will need to pick up the slack.

STYLES CLASH: Canada have traditionally struggled to contain and match the free-flowing style typically employed by Latin American squads. But under Floro, the well-travelled Spaniard, the Canadians have appeared more tactically adept: A draw in Panama in November was the team’s first result in Central America in a decade. The El Salvador matchup will be a good litmus test as to whether Les Rouges have found a new way forward.

THE STAR YOU KNOW

Cyle Larin, F, Canada. It’s definitely too early to call the 20-year-old rookie an established star. But anyone who’s followed MLS this season (which probably includes you, dear MLSsoccer.com reader) has already seen the Brampton, Ontario, native score in a variety of ways in front of huge, delirious crowds down in Orlando. He will be the focal point of the Canadian attack.

Nelson Bonilla, F, El Salvador. The 24-year-old is hardly a household name, playing his club soccer for Vitorul in Romania. But his dangerous poacher’s instincts have been on full display as of late, as he’s scored three goals in El Salvador’s last two games. He also, ahem, “earned” a penalty against St. Kitts and Nevis, another instinct of which Canadian defenders will need to be aware.