Veteran goalkeeper Milan Borjan is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, so it wasn’t out of the ordinary to see him struggle to articulate his feelings after Canada’s 2-0 win over the United States on Sunday at Hamilton’s Tim Hortons Field in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
But this was different. Playing in his hometown in front of his family — on his dad’s birthday, no less — clearly struck a nerve deep inside of Borjan.
“Just unbelievable. These guys don’t know how to stop, man. This team is something special. It’s what we’ve been fighting for… I don’t know what to say, really. Too many emotions in me right now. Thirteen years with the program, it’s been a long time, and this is what we deserve. This is what Canada deserves. It’s just unbelievable,” Borjan told reporters after the match while draped in a Canadian flag.
Untested for large swathes of Sunday’s match, Borjan came up huge when needed, and was instrumental for the Canadians in a victory that virtually assured them of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Canada took an early lead when Cyle Larin stroked the ball into the back of the net in the seventh minute after a perfectly executed counter-attack. The Americans didn’t hang their heads after conceding, though. Rather, they took control of the game and caused Canada problems with their pace.
WATCH | Canadian men closing in on 1st World Cup berth since 1986:
The Canadian men’s national soccer team is poised to go to the World Cup for the first time since 1986 after a win against the United States on home turf. 2:05
‘They’re scared’
Weston McKennie nearly equalized the game just before halftime, but Borjan made a fabulous save in tipping the U.S. midfielder’s header off a corner kick onto the crossbar and out of danger. Borjan pounded the Canada badge on his chest after denying the American.
“Before it was like, we’d play (the U.S.) and they’re like, ‘Oh, we play Canada. It’s easy. Blah, blah, blah,’ and this and that. But now when they come to us, or we go there, they’re scared,” Borjan said.
Had the McKennie scored, the U.S. would have been in the ascendancy and swung the momentum in their favour. Instead, Borjan’s timely stop allowed Canada to remain on top, and seal the victory with an injury-time goal from Sam Adekugbe.
Three days earlier in Honduras, it was a similar scene. Inactive for most of the game, Borjan was called into action in the 70th minute when he made a fabulous diving save on Kervin Arriaga’s glancing header off a free kick into the box. Moments later, Jonathan David scored to stunt any chance of a Honduras comeback and seal a 2-0 win for Canada.
WATCH: Borjan make a diving stop to deny Honduras:
Milan Borjan made a terrific diving save in the 70th minute as Canada blanked Honduras 2-0 in FIFA World Cup CONCACAF qualifying. 1:21
Canada’s goal-scorers tend to garner the headlines. Alphonso Davies is the poster boy for the program. But Borjan’s steely resolve in net is a big reason why the Reds remain undefeated in 10 qualifying games and sit in first place in the CONCACAF table.
“Milan, he just comes up huge for us time and time again. I have no words for the performances that he’s been putting out there for us, making these huge saves for us in big moments,” Canadian midfielder Jonathan Osorio said.
“We trust him and we expect that from him because we know how good he is. We know going into games that he is going to have to save us a couple of times, maybe, in games and he does. He is ready for the moment every time.”
Coach John Herdman concurred: “Milan wasn’t massively busy, he had to pull that one big save out and that’s what he can do. He’s dialled in. When Milan Borjan is dialled in, he can be one of the best around; you’ve seen that form in Champions League in Europe.”
Canada has a track record of producing great goalkeepers over the years, from Craig Forrest to Paul Dolan. But Borjan’s path to the national team is different, and in many ways, more inspiring.
Borjan’s soccer career rooted in Hamilton
Born in the former Yugoslavia, Borjan and his family — father Boško, mother Mirjana, and siblings Nikolija and Nikola — fled to Belgrade during the Croatian War of Independence, and then immigrated to Canada. Originally arriving in Winnipeg, the family eventually settled in Hamilton where they still live.
It was in Steeltown where Borjan’s soccer career took off, as he played for the Hamilton Thunder of the old Canadian Professional Soccer League. From there, his soccer travels have taken him to Argentina, Uruguay, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, and Poland. For the last five years he’s played for Red Star Belgarde, helping them win four Serbian league titles, and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
But Canada is his home, and he never loses sight of that, or takes it for granted. Representing the nation that gave him and his family a chance at a new life is what motivates him to help Canada qualify for the World Cup, something it’s only done once before, in 1986 in Mexico.
“I came when I was 13 years old. Canada gave my family everything. This is my way to return [the favour] to Canada,” Borjan said.
“We’re one country. Canada is a multicultural country. We play for what’s given to us, and Canada gave us peace, better schools, a better life, everything … When someone gives you that much love, you have to return it, and we’re doing our best to return that love to this amazing country.”
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