Canada coach: Alphonso Davies available for next match

Canada could have its captain back on the field Thursday, as left back Alphonso Davies will be available to face Qatar, coach Jesse Marsch said on Wednesday.

Davies is recovering from a hamstring injury he sustained late in his club season with Bayern Munich. He last played for Canada 15 months ago when he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in a CONCACAF Nations League match.

Marsch's comments suggested that Davies would likely serve as a reserve if he played on Thursday in Vancouver.

"He's been in training this week, and he'll be available tomorrow, and we'll see how the match goes and then make a decision on how we would choose to use him ...

"We've worked really well through this, and Alphonso is looking really good. So it's just a matter of, OK, what kind of game is it, what kind of moment is it, and how do we feel Alphonso can contribute right now? But he's ready, he'll be available."

Davies, 25, has 15 goals in 58 games for the national team. He has also been a mainstay for Bayern Munich since arriving from the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2019.

Canada and Qatar face off on Thursday amid a four-way tie in Group B after the two opening matches ended in draws. The Canadians tied 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the same result as the Qatar-Switzerland game.

--Field Level Media