Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers - Playoff Preview

Adamo Marinelli

April 16, 2022

     The Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors have only met twice in the playoffs before, both series have been iconic and have come down to the wire.

     In game seven of the 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Vince Carter missed a game-winning shot at the buzzer and the 76ers held on to advance to the conference finals.

     18 years later, Kawhi Leonard hit arguably the most iconic shot in Raptors’ history - the shot heard around the world - to send the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Raptors would go on to win their first NBA Championship. 

     This year, the fourth seed 76ers will clash with the fifth seed Raptors in the first round of the playoffs in what is set to be another memorable series between the two teams.

     This series will pit Joel Embiid, James Harden, Doc Rivers, and company against Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Vleet, Nick Nurse, and company.

     The Toronto Raptors convincingly won the season series 3-1 against the 76ers and were the better team in all four games. 

     The Raptors won the first matchup of the season 115-109. Joel Embiid didn’t play for the 76ers, but they were able to stay competitive from big performances by Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and Seth Curry. Fred Van Vleet, Gary Trent Jr., and OG Anunoby all balled out for the Raptors with 32, 20, and 20 points respectively. Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa were huge on the glass. The Raptors played physical defense and forced several turnovers which led to transition points down the stretch. 

     In the second matchup, the Raptors were recovering from a COVID-19 outbreak and were without Anunoby, Van Vleet, Barnes, and Scottie Barnes. The Raptors kept it competitive with big outings from Chris Boucher, Siakam, and Trent Jr. but with Joel Embiid’s 36-point double-double and Tobias Harris’ triple-double, the 76ers held on to win 114-109.

     In the third game, the Raptors’ defense was excellent. They shut down a fully healthy 76ers’ offense without Van Vleet and Anunoby. Pascal Siakam, Precious Achiuwa, and Scottie Barnes all had tremendous games on both sides of the ball, especially on offense. Siakam and Achiuwa both had double-doubles, with many crucial points down the stretch in a low-scoring, gritty defensive game which had playoff vibes. 

     The final game of the season series was the most entertaining game of the season, in which the Raptors won 119-114. The Raptors managed to outlast the 76ers again without a full roster – Van Vleet and Anunoby were inactive. Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Danny Green had great games for the 76ers and the 76ers showed what they can accomplish when they get production from more than Harden and Embiid. However, once again the Raptors used their tenacious defense to keep the game close and Pascal Siakam’s great second half propelled the Raptors to a victory. Siakam had a monster triple-double, recording 37 points (including the game-winning bucket), 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, Gary Trent and Precious Achiuwa shot the ball well and Scottie Barnes was excellent on the glass and lock down defensively. 

In three of the four games of the season series, the Raptors were without several key starters. In two of those three games, the Raptors still managed to win. 

The Raptors will have a fully healthy roster in their series against the 76ers. If they can limit Joel Embiid and still put up points while missing key starters, they should definitely be able to do so with a fully healthy roster. 

Both teams needed the five-day rest before their series began. The Raptors starters played a lot of minutes all season and with Van Vleet and Anunoby dealing with injuries during the second half of the season, Siakam played a ton. Siakam and Van Vleet played the third and fourth most minutes per game in the NBA this year and Barnes, Anunoby, and Trent Jr. were all in the top 25 in minutes per game. 

For the 76ers, James Harden played the sixth-most minutes per game in the NBA (37.2) and there were periods where he visibly looked exhausted. Embiid doesn’t play the most minutes per game (33.8 is still a lot though) and he had some minor injuries and aches down the stretch which is tough for a big man. Both teams will be rested, but which team will use that to their advantage more?

Embiid is the best player in the series, no doubt, and we have all heard the adage that the team with the best player wins the series. However, in the 2019 series and in all three games of the season series that Embiid played, the Raptors defended him well. Embiid will score his points and will get his boards but the Raptors can defend Embiid as well as anyone, even without a true center. 

When Embiid has the ball, the Raptors are quick to collapse their defense, close off the lane to the rim, get off screens and send extra help to Embiid to force him to pass the ball away. When he has the ball in his hands in the paint, he is almost unstoppable. He is the first center to win the scoring title since Shaquill O’Neil. Because the Raptors force him to pass the ball away and contribute to the offense without the ball in his hands, which is harder for him as a big man. 

Embiid averaged 2.5 turnovers against the Raptors this year, and 4.3 last year; in the 2019 playoffs, he had 28 total in the seven games. 

In addition, the Philadelphia 76ers are a completely different team without Embiid on the floor. Philly scores 11.5 fewer points per 100 possessions whenever Embiid is on the bench. Not only 

do the Raptors have to limit Embiid when he’s on the floor, but they have to really take advantage of a weakened 76ers team when Embiid is on the bench. 

Another huge storyline is Matisse Thybulle not being able to play in Canada as a result of not being fully vaccinated. He will be able to play all of the 76ers home games though. Thybulle isn’t the best offensive player but is a force defensively and contributes in many ways on the defensive side of the ball. He is physical, rebounds well, gets steals, and is a great passer. 

Also, which James Harden will we get? A few years ago, he was considered one of the best offensive players in the NBA in the regular season and could drop a 40-point triple-double in the blink of an eye. 

As of late, he has regressed offensively, and even with the Rockets, in his scoring prime has never had a lot of success, if any, in the postseason with several failures in close-out games where he shot less than 30 percent. 

With Anunoby healthy, the Raptors have many options to guard Harden. They could also put Siakam, Van Vleet, or Barnes on him too, depending on who the 76ers have on the floor. 

Unlike the 76ers who generate the majority of their offense through Embiid, Harden, and Tyrese Maxey, the Raptors can generate offense from anyone. Because they play small ball, their lineup is very versatile and they switch up the main ball carrier frequently. Even forwards like Siakam and Barnes carry the ball up the floor occasionally, which helps guys like Van Vleet and Trent to find open areas for a shot.

Anunoby, Trent Jr., Van Vleet, Siakam, Barnes, and Thaddeus Young can all move the ball well and can all shoot from anywhere which keeps opposing defenses guessing. 

The Raptors’ bench has not been great this year, but guys like Chris Boucher, Khem Birch, and Precious Achiuwa are all solid backups and will be good in this series, especially for their rebounding and ability to guard Embiid. In addition, Malachi Flynn, Svi Myhiluk, and Yuta Watanabe can all be relied on every once in a while. 

The 76ers bench is solid on paper but can get hot very fast, especially from three. Georges Niang, Shake Milton, Danny Green, and Furkan Korkmaz can all hit a huge three to spark their offense in stagnant runs. The Raptors have been known to let opposing benches get hot, especially from three, so they have to rotate quickly on defense. 

One category the Raptors have an advantage in is team chemistry. Siakam, Anunoby, and VanVleet have played together for years and have lots of playoff experience, Boucher’s been around for their championship run, and Barnes and Birch have been with the team for over a year. Embiid and Harden may be the two of the best players in the series but have only played 21 games together.

Another distinct advantage the Raptors have is coaching. Nick Nurse is a far superior coach to Doc Rivers. Nurse has more experience in the playoffs and is more familiar with his current roster and all his players’ strengths and weaknesses. Nurse builds his team’s identity with physical, gritty defense. Their small ball lineup gives them flexibility on defense and allows them to double cover, send help, closeout lanes and get off screens quicker. It also allows for better ball movement and more open shots in a half-court offense. They limit opponents’ offensive chances and force them to take low percentage shots. The Raptors force turnovers and score frequently in transition. 

In addition to Embiid and Harden’s performances, that will directly impact how the 76ers do in the series, how Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris play will have a huge impact. Maxey is a quick, agile guard that can get to the rim, get off screens and shoot floaters from mid-range, and can also shoot the three-pointer. The Raptors have a tough time defending mid-range floaters, especially when the shooter comes off a screen. Maxey is a good catch and release shooter, he is the x-factor for the 76ers in this series. Harris is another x-factor because of his defense, rebounding, ability to drive the rim, rebound, and shoot the three. 

For the Raptors, Trent Jr. and Barnes are both the x-factor. They are both young and talented and their performance can add a lot to the Raptors’ game. Barnes is playing in his first playoff game. They are both talented, can shoot very well and their physical defense keeps games close. They need to be solid defensively, force turnovers, get the ball up the court in transition, move the ball around, and hit their shots. Trent Jr. is a great three-point shooter and Barnes is fantastic driving the rim. Barnes and Trent Jr. need to be effective without the ball in their hands and find open spots on the floor to get open shots. Precious Achiuwa is also an x-factor because you never know what he’ll do each night, but neither will the 76ers. On one night, he could lock down James Harden and force three steals and on other nights he can hit 5 threes and score 20. 

This will be a fantastic series regardless of who wins, but I think the Raptors will win because of their superior coaching. Nick Nurse and company will find a way to shut down Embiid, will use a variety of schemes to play physical defense, create turnovers and get points in transition. Siakam, Van Vleet, and Barnes will be the best offensive players for the Raptors but Anunoby and Trent Jr. will also produce. 

The 76ers after multiple playoff failures know it's time to win now. If they don’t win now, especially after trading for Harden there will be many changes coming to their roster in the offseason. 

For the Raptors, after going 27-45 last season and missing the playoffs, it’s nice to be back. There are really no expectations to win, but they have the potential to win on both sides of the ball. 

My prediction: Raptors in 6.

NBA 2022 Playoff Predictions

Adamo Marinelli

April 16, 2022

     The 2022 NBA playoffs start today. There are a lot of talented teams competing for the championship. Can the Milwaukee Bucks defend their title or will we have a new champion?

EAST: 

Round 1:

Miami Heat over Atlanta Hawks in 5 games

The Hawks are a tremendously skilled young team with a lot of potential after an incredible run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, however, the Heat are one of the best defensive teams in the league, are one of the best shooting teams in the league, and have a lot of talent in their starting lineup and on their bench. The Heat win relatively easily with Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, 6th man of the year candidate Tyler Herro and one of the best coaches in the NBA.

Toronto Raptors over Philadelphia 76ers in 6 games

Nick Nurse is a better coach than Doc Rivers and thus the Raptors will be able to take advantage of the 76ers’ weaknesses better than the 76ers can take advantage of the Raptors’ weaknesses. The Raptors are a better defensive team than the 76ers and even though the 76ers have more superstar power, the Raptors will find a way to use their depth, grittiness, their ability to shoot the ball well from the field and from three, their ability to move the ball to get open looks and their ability to win close games to their advantage. Philadelphia is a formidable opponent, but with the way Pascal Siakam has been playing recently, the rise of Scottie Barnes, and great two way games from Fred Van Vleet, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., and Khem Birch on a consistent basis, this Raptors team has what it takes to beat anyone. If Joel Embiid is able to dominate the paint and kick it out to open shooters after drawing a second defender and if James Harden plays to his potential, the 76ers will win the series. However, the Raptors have held Embiid in check all season, have limited his effect on the game, and have frustrated him. Also no disrespect to Harden, but he is not very reliable in the playoffs either. Nick Nurse will be able to employ various defensive schemes to limit Embiid’s production and force his teammates to make the big shots which they will not be able to do consistently against a gritty Toronto defense.

Milwaukee Bucks over Chicago Bulls in 5 games

The Bulls started the season very well and looked like championship contenders. Down the stretch, they struggled as a result of injuries and a tough schedule. Milwaukee’s current roster has a ton of experience in the playoffs and a ton of chemistry. They are very efficient on both sides of the ball and are extremely well-coached. The Bulls aren’t the same team as they were in the first half of the season; the Bucks will cruise past the Bulls.

Brooklyn Nets over Boston Celtics in 7 games

The Boston Celtics started the season slowly but played amazing on both sides of the ball down the stretch. They earned the second seed in the Eastern conference and defensive player of the year candidate Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown are all having great seasons. However, the injury to Robert Williams, their best defensive player will hurt the Celtics. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both great offensively and the Nets have a near-perfect record when they are both healthy. They will take advantage of Williams’ injury and win big in game seven.

Round 2: 

Miami Heat over Toronto Raptors in 6 games

The Heat and Raptors are two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Both have talent all over their roster, a fantastic head coach, and are championship contenders. The Raptors’ tremendous defense, excellent transition offense, ability to win close games, and Nick Nurse’s ability to adjust on the fly will help them stay competitive in the series, however, the Heat are the best shooting team in the league, and have more depth than the Raptors which will ultimately help the Heat win the series. The Raptors are mobile defensively, but the Heat are tremendous at moving the ball, which leads to a lot of open shots. They rank 5th in the NBA in assist percentage (they have an assist on 66.4% of their buckets.) Both teams are good offensively but the Heat have the advantage. Tyler Herro is a fantastic shooter and he doesn't even start, which shows the amount of talent and depth on the Heat’s roster. The Raptors have reliable guys on the bench like Yuta Watanabe, Malachi Flynn, and Svi Mykhailiuk, but it isn’t as good as the Heat’s bench.

Milwaukee Bucks over Brooklyn Nets in 7 games

A rematch of last year’s East semifinal. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Durant and Irving are both very good players and have played extremely well in their limited time together, but the keyword is limited. The Bucks have a ton of playoff experience and their team chemistry is very high after being together for multiple seasons and winning a championship last year. Antetokounmpo is also one of the best players in the league and is an MVP for a reason. The Bucks are the better defensive team, they will make life difficult on Irving and Durant. They will force turnovers and hurt the Nets with their great transition offense. No disrespect to Steve Nash, but the Bucks are also better coached under Mike Budenholzer and will be able to adapt to anything the Nets throw at them. In 2021, Durant’s foot was an inch over the three-point line, which led to the game-winning shot only tying the game. This year, the Bucks will win by more than an inch; it will be a 20-point game 7 win. 

ECF: 

Milwaukee Bucks over Miami Heat in 7 games

The Bucks and the Heat are arguably the two best and most well-rounded teams Eastern Conference. This will be a very entertaining series and will come down to the wire. Both teams have played in a final recently, with the Heat losing to the Lakers in 2020 and the Bucks beating the Suns in 2021. Both teams are incredibly talented, well-coached and both have top 10 offenses in the NBA and both are great defensively, but the Heat have the better defensive rating. The Heat are the best shooting team in the NBA and the Bucks are near the bottom of the league in defending the three, but they will dominate the paint. The Bucks will get back to the finals in overtime of game 7.

WEST:

Round 1:

Phoenix Suns over New Orleans Pelicans in 5 games

The Pelicans have a lot of young pieces with a ton of potential. With a few more years of good drafts, solid free agent signings, and if they develop their stars correctly, they have the skill to compete for consistent spots in the playoffs. They have a solid roster right now and beat the Clippers in a hard-fought game to earn the eighth seed but the first seed Pheonix Suns are the much better team. They have the best record in the NBA, have been the best team all season with 64 wins, are the best offensive team in the NBA, and are the third-best defensive team in the league. Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Ayton have been incredible this season and are on a mission for another potential title run. It will start with a relatively easy series win vs the Pelicans. The Pelicans have the talent to win one game, but that is all they’ll get

Utah Jazz over Dallas Mavericks in 6

The Mavericks are the better team and are the favourites in this series, however, with Luka Doncic being out for game one and potentially game two, the Jazz will take an early series lead and never look back. Rudy Gobert is excellent at defending the paint and he’s a defensive player of the year favourite. The Mavericks will have a tough time scoring buckets in the paint against Gobert and will have a tough time shooting from deep. Donovan Mitchell will dominate offensively with his excellent ball-handling, great shooting, and ability to get the ball to any of his teammates anywhere on the floor.

 

Golden State Warriors over Denver Nuggets in 5

Steph Curry is one of the best offensive players and the best shooter in the NBA and is back from his injury, Klay Thompson has had an incredible season, and Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, and Andrew Wiggins have all been an integral part of the Warriors’ success this year. Nikola Jokic is likely going to win his second consecutive MVP while recording 2000+ points, 1000+ rebounds, and 500+ assists in a single season, however, with Jamal Murray injured, Jokic is the only superstar on the Nuggets. The Warriors have more experience and will win.

Memphis Grizzlies over Minnesota Timberwolves in 7

Two young, physical, and feisty teams with a handful of superstars. This will be the closest and most entertaining series in the first round. The Timberwolves had a good regular season and Patrick Beverly got his revenge against the Clippers in the play-in game to secure the seventh seed, but the Grizzlies are the better team with Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, and Jaren Jackson Jr. who have all had good seasons. Timberwolves keep it close with their defense but the Grizzlies win the series. 

Round 2:

Phoenix Suns over Utah Jazz in 5 games

The Utah Jazz have a bright future with several key pieces like Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert,

 and Mike Conley, but the Suns are the better team. The Jazz has the best offensive rating in the NBA at 116.2 but the Suns’ defense is among the best in the NBA along the perimeter and in the paint. Also, the Suns’ offense is explosive, especially midrange jumpers in the paint and three-pointers; they have the fourth-best offensive rating in the NBA Devin Booker and Chris Paul are better than Mitchell and Conley and the Suns have the better coach. Gobert will cause the Suns some problems, but they’ll be able to adapt and exploit the Jazz’s weakness on defense. The Suns can move the ball well and Gobert is slow getting off screens to help. 

Golden State Warriors over Memphis Grizzlies in 6 games

The Grizzlies have a talented young core and will compete for NBA championships for many years. The Grizzlies finished second in the Western Conference, three games ahead of the Warriors. As an 8th seed, the Grizzlies lost in the first round to the Jazz. They are much better on both sides of the ball this season. They are physical defensively, move the ball well, and can shoot well too. Despite this, with Curry, Thompson, Green, and Iguodala all fully healthy and with youngsters Jordan Poole and Jonathan Kuminga on the rise, the Warriors are a better team. They also have more playoff experience and have won multiple championships with this core. The Grizzlies will put up a fight but ultimately come up short.

WCF:

Phoenix Suns over Golden State Warriors in 7 games

These are two of the best teams in the Western Conference and arguably two of the top 5 teams in the entire NBA. The Suns have the 3rd best efficiency in the NBA at 106.8, are extremely mobile, physical, and can create turnovers. They average under 8.6 steals a game, are 6th best in the league, and have a fantastic transition defense, allowing only 14.8 opponents points per game off turnovers. They are also one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the league. The Warriors have the second-best defensive efficiency at 106.6, are the second-best defensive rebounding team, and also force 8.8 steals per game, 3rd in the NBA. Both teams have incredible defenses, it will be difficult for both teams’ offenses to be consistently effective. The Suns are great at moving the ball around to get open shots, which will be a great way to open up the Warriors’ defense. The Warriors can shoot the ball extremely well from anywhere on the floor. This series can go either way, but the home-court advantage will be the difference.

NBA FINALS:

A rematch of the 2021 Finals. The Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks. This finals matchup would not surprise me at all, as these two teams are arguably the best in their respective conference. The Suns dominated their opponents all season long finishing 64-18 and although the Bucks finished third in the East at 51-31, it was a very tight race and they have Giannis Antetokounmpo, arguably the best player in the NBA right now. Both teams are known for their aggressive defense and lethal transition game. Both teams have superstars at every position and are extremely well-coached; Monty Williams and Mike Budenholzer have done a fantastic job all year long overcoming any challenges thrown their way. Both teams have top 5 offenses in terms of shooting percentage, rebounding, and assist percentage. Even though both teams know how to win in the playoffs, the Bucks have more playoff experience with their current core. I can see the Bucks repeating just as easily as I can see Chris Paul get his elusive first ring with the Suns. Both of these teams are great and this series will definitely go to seven, but I have the Suns winning on their home court in overtime.

Qatar 2022 World Cup Predictions

Group Stages:

Group A:

1. Netherlands, 3-0-0, 9pts

2. Senegal, 2-0-1, 6 pts

3. Ecuador, 1-0-2, 3 pts

4. Qatar, 0-0-3, 0 pts

Group B:

1. England, 2-1-0, 7 pts *goal difference

2. USA, 2-1-0, 7 pts

3. Playoff #1, 1-0-2, 3 pts

4. Iran, 0-0-3, 0pts

Group C:

1. Argentina, 3-0-0, 9pts

2. Poland 2-0-1, 6 pts

3. Mexico 1-0-2, 3 pts

4. Saudi Arabia 0-0-3, 0 pts

Group D:

1. France 2-1-0, 7 pts *goal difference

2. Denmark, 2-1-0, 7pts

3. Playoff #2, 0-1-2, 1 pt

4. Tunisia, 0-1-2, 1 pt

Group E:

1. Spain, 2-1-0, 7 pts

2. Germany, 1-2-0, 5 pts

3. Japan, 1-1-1, 4 pts

4. Playoff #3, 0-0-3, 0 pts

Group F:

1. Belgium, 2-1-0, 7pts

2. Canada, 1-2-0, 5 pts

3. Croatia, 1-1-1, 4pts

4. Morocco, 0-0-3, 0 pts

Group G:

1. Brazil, 3-0-0, 9 pts

2. Switzerland, 2-0-1, 6 pts

3. Cameroon, 1-0-2, 3 pts

4. Serbia, 0-0-3, 0 pts

Group H:

1. Portugal, 1-2-0, 5 pts *goal difference

2. Ghana, 1-2-0, 5 pts

3. South Korea, 1-1-1, 4 pts

4. Uruguay  0-1-2, 1 pt

---

Knockout stages:

Round of 16:

Netherlands vs USA - Netherlands

England vs Senegal - England

Argentina vs Denmark - Argentina

France vs Poland - France

Spain vs Canada - Spain

Belgium vs Germany - Germany

Brazil vs Ghana - Brazil

Portugal vs Switzerland - Portugal

Quarterfinals:

 

Netherlands vs England - Netherlands (upset)

Argentina vs France - Argentina

Spain vs Germany - Spain

Brazil vs Portugal - Brazil 

Semifinals:

Argentina vs Netherlands - Argentina

Spain vs Brazil - Spain (upset)

Finals:

Argentina vs Spain 

Winners: Argentina ---- Leo Messi wins Ballon d’Or

Messi, Ronaldo, Modric all retire from international football.

Canada MNT World Cup preview and group predictions

It’s official. Canada was drawn into Group F at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and their opponents will be Belgium (ranked second in the world by FIFA), Croatia (ranked 16th in the world by FIFA), and Morocco (ranked 24th in the world by FIFA). Canada was 33rd after the January qualifying window, but after dropping two matches in the latest qualifying window, they fell to 38th. 

     This is by far not the worst group Canada could have gotten drawn into but it is by far not the best. It is clear that there are no easy paths to winning a World Cup, however, if Canada was drawn into Group A alongside Qatar, Netherlands, and Senegal, they would have a much higher chance to make the round of 16 compared to getting out of Group F, however, they still have a fighting chance in to get out of their current group.

     Canada will play Belgium in the first group stage match on November 23, Croatia on November 27, and Morocco on December 1. 

     All three of these fixtures will be difficult, but they're all winnable for a young and talented Canadian side that has a lot of depth and can compete with the best of the best. 

     Belgium is ranked 2nd in the world by FIFA for a reason.  They have several talented players like Romelu Lukaku, Kevin DeBruyne, Eden Hazard, and Thorgan Hazard among many others. They are an aging squad but have shown time and time again that they have the talent, depth, tactics, and coaching to beat any team on any given day. 

     Belgium has been able to perform well in major tournaments. They beat England 2-0 to finish third place in the 2018 World Cup after losing 1-0 to France in the semis. In the 2020 Euros, they lost 2-1 to Italy in the quarterfinals. In both tournaments, they played great football but were ultimately taken out by the eventual tournament champions. 

     The game against Roberto Martinez’s side will definitely be Canada’s toughest. It also doesn’t help that it is Canada’s opening game. However, perhaps that is a blessing in disguise because it will be Belgium’s first game too. Both sides will need time to figure each other out, which could work in Canada’s favour.

     Canada should stack up well against Belgium and their aging defense. Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld are not the players they used to be. Canada’s front three of Jonathan David, Alphonso Davies, and Cyle Larin will need to use their speed and creativity to outwork and outsmart the Belgian defense. Canada has a speedy roster and should be able to cause the Belgian defense trouble with their strong transition attack.

     On the other side of the pitch, Canada’s back four will have a huge handful to deal with. Romelu Lukaku is not having the best of campaigns with Chelsea, but he can score at will. In addition, he is a force aerially and on crosses both of which Canada struggles to defend. 

     Both Eden and Thorgan Hazard are very well-rounded players. Kevin DeBruyne not only has a fantastic shot and is a consistent goal scorer (he has 11 goals and eight assists in 33 appearances with Manchester City this season in all competitions) but he is also one of the best playmakers and passers in the world. Lukaku is a threat but if Belgium wants to go far in this tournament, it will rest on KDB’s shoulders. 

     Even though John Herdman is a fantastic manager, the advantage goes to Martinez with his extensive experience in previous World Cups. Milan Borjan has been fantastic in goal in Canada’s qualifying campaign but Real Madrid’s and Belgium’s keeper Thibault Courtois is superior with more experience in major tournaments, more clean sheets, and more saves. 

     This game will be intense and both defenses will need to step up to cool down the offenses. I predict Alphonso Davies scores a late goal for Canada to equalize at 1-1 in stoppage time to get a huge draw after Romelu Lukaku scored an early goal for Belgium.

     The next game they play does not get any easier and will be against Croatia. Croatia is another team that has many talented players, is well-coached, and has had immense success in previous international tournaments.

     Croatia shocked the world with an incredible and memorable run to the finals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Ultimately, they lost the finals 4-2 to France but it was a run they soon won’t forget. After an underwhelming tournament at the EUROs last summer (even though they played Spain very well in the round of 16 before ultimately losing 5-3) they are looking to repeat their success of the last World Cup this November. They have the confidence that they can.

     Croatia’s manager Zlatko Dalic is one of the best managers in the world and he has several talented players on his roster to work with.

     Midfielders Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic are the two superstars on the roster and both have been fantastic for their clubs and country for the last few years. However, Modric is 36 years old, this will likely be his last World Cup and Perisic is nearing the end of his prime at 33 years old.

     However, Croatia is a well-rounded side. Other star players that they have on their roster include Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barisic on defense; Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic in the midfield; and Ante Rebic, Andrej Kramaric, and Marko Livaja at forward.

     Following the retirement of Daniel Subasic after the 2018 World Cup, Croatia is relying on a new goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. This could be Canada's distinct advantage.

     This team is one of the older ones in the tournament, however, they still have several young pieces that make the team competitive in any game with Kovacic (27) and Brozovic (29). 

     Croatia fared extremely well in World Cup qualifying, winning their group, after winning seven games, losing one, and drawing two for 23 of a possible 30 points. They are impressive offensively and defensively, scoring a whopping 21 goals and only conceding four. 

     Croatia’s defense is still talented but it is not as young and fast as it was in 2018. Like against Belgium, Canada will have to rely on their speed, creativity, and explosive transition attack with their fullbacks to generate offensive chances. 

     While Croatia’s front three isn’t as strong as it used to be, especially with the retirement of striker Mario Mandzukic who would strike fear into any defender. But don’t sleep on Andrej Kramaric, though not as physical as Mandzukic, he is quite fast, creative, and can score in bunches. 

     The key for Canada will be to stay strong in the middle of the pitch. They not only have to be strong defensively on the back end and prevent Croatia from getting quality chances and shots on target, but they also have to control the midfield, control possession, and force the opponents to play at their pace which is all difficult to do against a spectacular Croatian midfield led by Modric, who is extremely dangerous with and without the ball on his foot. 

     Even at 36, when most players would contemplate retirement, he is still balling out at Real Madrid with three goals and seven assists in all competitions this season and what’s more impressive is the stuff he does that isn’t on the scoresheet, like controlling possession, creating counterattacks, passing, creating chances, etc. 

     I predict this game will end in a 2-2 draw. Larin and Davies score for Canada. Modric and Kramaric score for Croatia. Croatia scores first, Canada scores two, and Croatia ties it late.

     Finally, their last match will come against Morocco. With their results in the first two matches, a win against Morocco could very well send them to the knockout round.

     Even though this is Canada’s most winnable game, don’t kid yourself, Morocco is still a strong side. 

     Despite being huge underdogs in the 2018 World Cup, predicted to be blown out by Portugal, Spain, and Iran, they were competitive in each match. They lost 1-0 to Portugal and Iran and drew 2-2 with Spain, which was clearly the highlight of their tournament despite being grouped. 

     In 2022, they hope to win at least one group stage game and try to make the round of 16 for only the second time in their country’s history.

     Saying Morocco was impressive in their World Cup qualifiers is an understatement. Not only did they win their group, winning all six of their games, but they scored 20 goals and only conceded once in those six matches. In the final round of qualifying, they handily beat DR Congo 5-2 on aggregate. 

     They will look to make some noise in Qatar this November after being eliminated by Mo Salah’s Egypt in extra time in the round of 16 at the African Cup of Nations after being favorites to win it all. 

     They have a handful of quality players in the middle of their prime, including Achraf Hakimi, Romain Saiss, (Canadian-born) Yassine Bounou, and Sofiane Boufal and they play a very interesting type of formation that lets them control possession, limit opponents’ scoring chances and allows them to attack in transition.

     They are not without controversy, however. One of Morocco’s best players, Hakim Ziyech who is currently playing extremely well for Chelsea in the English Premier League, retired from international soccer at the end of 2021 at only 29 years old, citing his relationship with Moroccan manager, Vahid Halilhodžić. 24-year-old Ajax full-back, Noussair Mazraoui also rejected a call up for international duty because of his poor relationship with the manager. 

     Morocco plays a similar style of game to Spain, they like to hold on to the ball as long as possible and make many short passes to control possession. Eventually, the opposing defense will break down and they will capitalize on their offensive chance. Spain is much better at this type of football, but Morocco has shocked many teams with this style of play. 

     Considering Canada may not get a ton of time with the ball, they will have to make the best of the chances they do get. Morocco is a team that presses on offense and their backline moves up close to the center of the pitch. Because of this, if Canada’s defense is able to get multiple stops, they will be able to use their talented fullbacks and front three to get quality offensive chances using their excellent transition attack. 

Canada’s skill in the midfield will also be a factor in preventing Morocco from keeping possession of the ball for the entire game. 

Morocco will play hard, but ultimately their attempt to control possession for the entire game will be unsuccessful thanks to Canada’s excellent midfield and counterattack. Canada will score twice in the first half, thanks to goals from Jonathan Osorio and Sam Adekugbe. This will force Morocco to stop their tiki-taka style of play and force them to move up the pitch to try to score. They will ultimately score one late in the second half, but it will not be enough. 

Canada will beat Morocco 2-1 and advance to the Round of 16. In the round of 16, they will defend extremely well against Spain, who controls possession for the majority of the game but Canada ultimately concedes a goal in the 114th minute and loses 1-0. 

Despite the loss, Canada’s performance in the entire World Cup proves they are a formidable soccer nation and will only set up a more interesting tournament in 2026.