Canada ready for FANCA

Local Sports

Team Canada players roll out the team kit during the presentation yesterdayTEAM Canada will carry the aspirations of the nation to the FANCA Muslim tournament.

And as the countdown begins for the silver jubilee celebrations event, there is marked enthusiasm with the group that has set its sight on the championship.

Canada conquered the FANCA Muslim tournament twice, the first in 2001 with a 1-0 win against New Zealand in Canada and in 2016, they beat Australia 3-1 in Fiji.

The team will take examples of the double championships to reach the podium.

And it is no secret that head coach Abdul Nasim has one of the deepest talent pools available to him at this year’s tournament.

The Nasim quartet, Wazeem Nasim, Abdullah Nasim, Zoheb Nasim and Essa Yassin Nasim, who represented Canada U20 team are the mainstay of the team.

Midfielder Edris Najm Zico and defender Rakim Ali have also earned praise for their work rate.

Nasim’s core group of footballers have been playing together for a few years now, know the strengths and would not let the weaknesses of a teammate get in the way.

He lauded unity in the team.

“The footballers are ready to play for one another, the nation and churn out class play every other second.”

The team is on an upwards trajectory and developing into a team which could go all the way this year.

“We have a good set of players, who have been in the system for 4 years,” Nasim said.

“Following the cancellation of the 2020 tournament due to Covid-19 pandemic, we retained the core of the players, played Muslim League for Sabeto, featured in Muslim Nations Cup team and in other tournaments.

“The players have come of age, developed as a team, know each other’s strengths and style and all they’ve to do is to put the coaching into game situation during the FANCA Muslim tournament.”

And it is the coming of age and developing as a team that would test the mettle when the team steps on Prince Charles Park.


Canada 2022 team

Wasim Nasim, Abdullah Nadim, Zoheb Nasim, Rakim Ali, Fathin Furkhan, Sohail Khan, Imran Ali, Essa Yasmin, Edris Najm (Zico), Ziyad Begg, Wasim Khan, Issiah Sahib, Ramsey Alfantazi, Mohammed Mustafa, and Shail Khan.