Alistair Johnston says Canada are still “dancing” after keeping their World Cup dream alive, with the Celtic defender now preparing for a huge match against Morocco.
Johnston was clearly still taking it all in after the match, he said: (TCW), “It feels like a dream, honestly. We’re still dancing! It’s survive and advance. I’m so proud of the guys here.”
It was an honest reaction from a player enjoying one of the biggest moments of his career. Canada are not just there to make up the numbers. They are still in the fight, and they have now earned another major test on the world stage.
Canada will not have long to enjoy the result, with Morocco now waiting for them this weekend.
Johnston knows exactly how hard that game will be, but he also made it clear that Canada are looking forward to the challenge rather than fearing it.
He said: “It’s a quick turnaround for us, and then we focus on our opponents. We get a chance to play one of the best teams in the world in Morocco. That’s unbelievable. We get a shot against a true Goliath this weekend, and that’s something we are truly excited about.
“We have a special group. We feel we are brothers. When we fight for each other and play for each other, special things can happen. We know we are going to face a very tough team.
“But we hope that when they saw our last game, they felt the game is going to be very tough for them, too.”
From a Celtic point of view, Johnston’s run at the World Cup has been well worth watching.
He has never been a player short of energy or belief, and those qualities have been clear again for Canada. The defender speaks with confidence, but there is also a clear respect for the level of opponent coming next.
Morocco will be a serious step up, and Johnston knows Canada will need another big performance to stay in the tournament.
But his comments show a squad that feels together and believes it can cause problems. That will matter when they come up against a side with the quality Morocco have.
For Johnston, this is another chance to show his level away from Celtic. He has handled big occasions in Glasgow, and now he is doing the same for Canada at the World Cup.
Well done to AJ as Scottish media have largely ignored him – no surprises there. Massive player for Celtic and I hope we can offer him the captaincy and keep him. Great to see him getting the recognition he deserves from people who talk good teams players up and not down.