DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Canada winger Alphonso Davies is fully fit and on track to start his nation's World Cup opener against Belgium on Wednesday night after he recovered from a strained right hamstring.
“Canada are in a position now where we can field our strongest team,” coach John Herdman said Tuesday on the eve of his nation's first World Cup match since 1986. “It’s exciting times for us. Now the dark clouds have shifted.”
The 22-year-old Davies was hurt while playing for Bayern Munich on Nov. 5. He has 12 goals in 34 international appearances, including five goals in World Cup qualifying.
“He's clear that he wanted to play," Herdman said. "I think our medical team, we wanted him to play, as well. But you've just got to go through the mathematical algorithms that are put in front of you to progress him to top speed and he hit that, so that was brilliant.
"And he’s been in full training and he’s got that big smile back on his face, which is great.”
Herdman said goalkeeper Milan Borjan was expected back in full training Tuesday after feeling an abdominal issue in Thursday’s 2-1 friendly win over Japan.
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