Soccer fans haven't lost hope for Team Canada after Belgium wins Wednesday

Edmonton soccer fans cheered on Team Canada as it made its debut at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar more than 11,000 kilometres away.

Several watch parties took place in the city Wednesday, and while many fans were disappointed to see Canada lose to Belgium 1-0, they remain hopeful for what's next.

Michael Schwanke was one of hundreds of people at The Pint near Whyte Avenue at a watch party organized by a soccer fan group, The Voyageurs, which he's been a part of since 1998.

"It was beyond a valiant effort," he said. "Belgium is going to go home and say, 'Yeah, we got out of there alive and we were fortunate.'"

"I mean, to me, it was everything I would have hoped for."

Colin Miller was on Team Canada the last time it attended a FIFA World Cup in 1986. He was at the Pint Wednesday and agreed with Schwanke that the team played well.

"I thought it was a wonderful performance by Canada," said "Overall for the 90 minutes, I thought Canada was the better team."

At a junior high school in northeast Edmonton, staff and students were also watching the game closely.

Alphonso Davies is a former student of St. Nicholas Catholic Junior High, and the school held a viewing in the gymnasium.

Davies' former soccer coach, Dino Bazzerelli, said the energy at the school was electric all day.

"He started here, we know his story. He was a refugee, he worked really really hard, he took all the necessary steps to get to this level and now he's playing at the World Cup, the biggest event," Bazzerelli said.

"Our kids that are watching are using him as a reference point. If Alphonso can do it, we can. It was the impossible dream before, he's made that a reality for everybody."

Bazzerelli said he could barely contain himself when Davies stepped onto the penalty line early in the first half.

"I didn't think I'd be that nervous at that moment," he said. "But when you actually know a player at the World Cup level, to take a penalty shot, it was nerve wracking."

Davies did not score, but Bazzerelli said he's sure the next one will go in and Canada will come out strong when they play Croatia in four days.

"Knowing Alphonso well, he's going to have a great game on Sunday," he said. "I know he's going to bounce back. He's a team player, he won't let today's game affect him. He'll have the boys ready to go."

Though the current students didn't go to school with Davies, many were just as invested in Edmonton's contribution to Team Canada.

"It really keeps the dream alive that someone who came to this school and is living the life that we had can make it to the (professional league.) It means a lot to watch him on the big screen and to see him in the World Cup," said Grade 7 student Parker Klein.

"It was really fun to know that I went to the same school as (a) world class footballer," said Grade 7 student Ramaar Russell. "I felt honoured and proud during the game."

The school said another watch party is a possibility when Canada plays Morocco on Dec. 1, but it will depend on Sunday's result.

The Voyageurs will also host watch parties for the next two games at The Pint.

Team Canada plays Croatia on Sunday at 9 a.m. MST.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach