The Canadian men’s soccer team expects the going to get tougher after cruising through the first two matches in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying.

Canada produced 13 unanswered goals against the U.S. Virgin Islands and Dominica earlier this year. The third of four tests in this new competition, an away game against St. Kitts and Nevis on Nov. 18, presents a different type of challenge for coach John Herdman and his 23-man squad.

“I think we’re moving from CONCACAF tier three to CONCACAF tier two,” Herdman said on a conference call following Thursday’s roster announcement. “With that, we certainly have to give a lot more attention to the defensive transition, making sure (we defend with the same number of players as) when we’re attacking.”

The coach made six changes to the team that beat Dominica at BMO Field in early October, bringing in experienced goalkeepers Milan Borjan and Maxime Crepeau, young fullbacks Sam Adekugbe and Marcus Godinho and midfielders Liam Fraser and David Wotherspoon. Toronto FC’s Ashtone Morgan, Tosaint Ricketts and Jonathan Osorio — recovering from sports hernia surgery — are out. So too are goalkeepers James Pantemis and Alessandro Busti, who is competing in the CONCACAF under-20 championship (in which Canada, coincidentally, lost 2-1 to St. Kitts and Nevis on Thursday). Also out for Canada: captain Scott Arfield, awaiting the birth of his child in Scotland.

The undefeated Canadians sits third in the standings on goal differential, two spots ahead of St. Kitts and Nevis, which also won its first two games. Herdman has an eye on finishing in the top six of the 34-nation competition, good enough to qualify for next summer’s Gold Cup as well as Group A of next year’s CONCACAF Nations League — which already includes regional heavyweights Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.

If Canada wants to achieve its ultimate goal of qualifying for the World Cup in 2022, performing well against the top teams in the region are crucial, Herdman said.

While St. Kitts and Nevis, at No. 133 in the world, is far from that echelon, the side is ranked 45 spots ahead of Dominica and 67 ahead of the U.S. Virgin Islands — much closer to the No. 76-ranked Canadians. Herdman had scouts at the opposition’s last two games and expects Canada to dominate possession next weekend, but the squad could be threatened on the counterattack and through set pieces.

“They’re a team with a very good team spirit: well-organized, direct team that will be looking to capitalize in the transition,” he said. They have a couple of key players … We know they’re a hardened team. They’re a tough team, and for us it’s an exciting challenge, because I think it’s a challenge where our group are going to be tested in some tough conditions.”

If past encounters in the region are any indication, those “tough conditions” include the potential for a subpar playing surface at Warner Park Football Field in Basseterre, poor referring, a hostile crowd, high temperatures and humidity, and other issues with the facilities and transportation.

Herdman knows what his players could be facing when they arrive in camp. The organization has gone to great lengths to make sure practice facilities are up to par — even helping to fix lights and importing nets. But such conditions will also be a test of the team’s ability to adapt to whatever comes their way.

Defender David Edgar, the lone returning player from Canada’s last trip to St. Kitts and Nevis in 2011, and veteran striker Atiba Hutchinson plan to address the group during camp about what to expect. There will be no excuses after that.

“It’s really up to the team now, to use this test in St. Kitts as that experience of building resilience for when we have to play even harder matches against tougher teams in similar conditions.” Herdman said.

After two out-and-out attacking matches where the Canadians employed a two-man back line, they will have to find a balance — pushing forward and tracking back — to come away with a third straight win in this competition, the coach added: “It’s with respect now to that balance of making sure our defensive transition is in order, and players commit to that part of the game as well as the attacking.”