How Canada got good at soccer: From 122nd in the world to last 16 of the World Cup

It was the lowest point in modern Canadian soccer history. On October 16, 2012, Stephen Hart, then the head coach of the Canadian men’s national team, awoke in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula with a sinking feeling in his stomach. That night, his lads would play Honduras there, in the hopes of reaching the final round of Concacaf World Cup qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. But Canada’s chartered flight to the Central American nation had mechanical issues and landed later than anticipated. Players lost sleep after suffering food poisoning. The noise of local fans outside the team’s…