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Canadian Soccer Archives

  

Canada Performed well at CONCACAF Gold Cup

Canada performed well at Gold Cup 2007 and if their personnel and level of play can be maintained, Canada would have a very good chance of qualifying for World Cup South Africa 2010

 

The big story out of the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi finals, was the surprising play of Guadeloupe and the controversial offside called by the referee in the semi final game between Canada and USA. The offside call negated a second goal scored by Canada which would have tied the game in the dying seconds of injury time, with USA playing with 10 players due to a red card. On the play in question, it was obvious that the assistant referee (linesman) who made the call did not have the best of angle on the play and as a result it was the only decision he thought that could have been made. The public had the luxury of a replay and a better camera angle, which showed that the play was not off side. Nevertheless, those are the breaks of the game and it was too little, too late for Canada.

However Canada overall defensive effort in the Gold Cup was outstanding and the team also showed that it can score goals to win the big games in the tournament. 

Canada is on to the semifinals


Gold Cup Report 16/JUN/07 - Dwayne De Rosario opened the scoring in the 17th minute by tapping in a shot from Ali Gerba. Gerba found his way onto the score sheet in the 33rd minute after great buildup work in the offensive third, and added his second and his team’s in the 44th minute by deflecting a Julian De Guzman shot.

Canada started the brighter of the two sides and nearly opened the scoring after 12 minutes. After Dwayne De Rosario was fouled out on the left wing, Canada midfielder Martin Nash swung a free kick into the far post. Andrew Hainault was first to it, but his effort towards the gaping net was deflected wide.
There was no respite for the flat-footed Guatemalan defense in the 17th minute as Canada claimed the lead. Paul Stalteri played a diagonal ball through the Guatemalan backline onto the run of Ali Gerba. Gerba slid his effort toward the far post, where the onrushing De Rosario tapped home.
The second goal nearly arrived six minutes later, as Canada took advantage of some miscommunication on the Guatemalan defensive line. Atiba Hutchinson’s effort from 14 yards was blocked, but the rebound fell to Julian De Guzman. His effort was only kept out by a diving save from Guatemalan goalkeeper Carlos Trigueno.
Canada’s second goal came in the 33rd minute through an intricate passing movement. The goal started with De Rosario on the left playing the ball inside to Hutchinson, who slotted a ball behind the defense to De Guzman. De Guzman played from the byline across the face of goal to the waiting Gerba, who had a simple finish to double the Canadian lead.
The Canadian lead was extended to three a minute before halftime. Ante Jazic found space down the left hand flank and played a pass back to De Guzman on the edge of the penalty area. De Guzman scuffed his shot towards goal, but the effort hit off the right heel of Gerba and deflected off the right post and past Trigueno into the net.
After the interval, De Rosario had an early chance to grab his second of the contest in the 50th minute. De Rosario was played through on goal by Gerba, but he could only manage a tame shot that failed to trouble Trigueno.
Guatemala had a penalty appeal turned away in the 62nd minute as Pat Onstad and substitute Mario Rodriguez collided inside the Canadian penalty area, but the contact was dismissed by referee Courtney Campbell.
It was a matter of both teams playing out time, as Guatemala could not find a way to penetrate the Canadian defense and Canada was not pressing forward because of its advantage.
There was one last chance for De Rosario in the 89th minute. De Rosario earned a free kick on the edge of the Guatemalan penalty area after shaking free from Medina. De Rosario curled the resulting free kick around the wall, but Trigueno dove and tipped the ball around the box.
Miller Lite Player of the Match: Ali Gerba (Canada)
CANADA HEAD COACH STEPHEN HART
On today’s game:
“We felt going into the game that our game was to not get counterattacked upon and deny service to Ruiz. I thought my backline had an excellent game.”
“The victory was nice. I thought in the first half, we were balanced. We attacked well and we defended well. It was a game of two halves. In the second half, we had to defend.”
On Guatemala’s performance:  “I was very surprised. I thought they would play similar to the way they played against the United States. We were fortunate to get a goal early. That puts pressure on the opponent. We had to hold the lead long enough to put pressure on them and we did that.”
CANADA FORWARD AND MILLER LITE MAN OF THE MATCH ALI GERBA
On today's game:
“It is very easy to score when you play around quality players. It makes your job easy.”
GUATEMALA HEAD COACH HERNAN DARIO GOMEZ
On today's game:
“Canada was superior in all points of the game. They were in better condition than us. The three or four times they got to our goal, they were able to finish.”
“After losing 3-0, it’s hard to say anything to our fans. You’re blind after that.”
On how the Gold Cup works to integrate players for World Cup Qualifying:
“It’s hard to incorporate people into the team. We have to work from the group up to develop players. We have to prepare in every possible way, including physically.”
“The country is anxious for immediate results. I’m not scared of the pressure.”


CANADA 3- GUATEMALA 0
CAN: 14 – Dwayne De Rosario (10 - Ali Gerba), 17’
CAN: 10 - Ali Gerba (6 – Julian DeGuzman), 33’
CAN: 10 – Ali Gerba (6 – Julian DeGuzman), 44’
CAN: 22 – Pat Onstad (GK), 3 – Ante Jazic, 5 – Andrew Hainault, 6 – Julian DeGuzman, 7 – Paul Stalteri © , 10 – Ali Gerba (17 – Iain Hune, 67’), 11 – Richard Hatsings, 13 – Atiba Hitchinson (20 – Chris Pozniak, 90’), 14 – Dwayne De Rosario (18 – Issey Kakajima-Farran, 89’), 15 – Patrick Bernier, 16 – Martin Nash
DNP / No jugaron: 23 – Robert Giacomi (GK), 2 – Adam Braz, 8 – Kevin Harmse, , 19- Antonio Ribeiro,
TD: Stephen Hart
Scarborough UTD

 

CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinals

The Gold Cup quarter finals opened between Canada and Guatemala at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. In this game Canada stifled Guatemala’s offense on their way to a commanding 3-0 halftime lead. 

 Canada was on the offensive from the get go, and although they missed a few scoring chances, Dwayne De Rosario made it 1-0 for Canada at the 17th minute mark, after he redirect an Ali Gerber shot into the Guatemala net. Canada’s defensive intensified as they sniffed out every offensive play by Guatemala much to the disgust of the pro Guatemala crowd.  

Canada scored two more goals, both by striker Ali Gerber at the 33rd and 44th minute mark and coasted through the second half to book their ticket to the semi final. Ali Gerber was voted Man of the Match for his big goals and strong offensive presence. Canada was into the semi finals to play the winner of the second double header. 

The second quarter final was played between USA and Panama.  Most people considered this game to be he biggest test for USA after they dominated the B Group without a loss and without conceding a goal. Panama was also the best playing team in the tournament at that point but was reeling a bit after a tough loss to Mexico two days earlier.

The game was a display of emotions and indiscipline by Panama as they questioned every unfavorable call by the referee. The game entered the second half of play tied 0-0 as USA took the lead on a penalty kick in the 60th minute after Landon Donavan was hauled down by Carlos Rivera. Donavan converted from the penalty spot and USA increased their lead minutes later on a neat header by Carlos Bocanegra from a DaMarcus Beasley in swinging cross.  

Canada win CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A

Costa Rica, Canada, and Haiti were favored to advance out of Group A, but apparently no one told that to Guadeloupe, as they sprung the biggest surprise of the tournament.  Canada had the challenge of trying to dethrone Costa Rica as the third seed team in CONCACAF, while Costa Rica was anticipating a move to replace USA as the # 2 team in the region. Guadeloupe was supposed to be just in the tournament for the first time experience.

However when group play began it seemed like the match ups in this group were a lot tougher than the coaches anticipated and the coaches adjustments made the games uninspiring and lacking in excitement. Winning and losing became paramount and the only team that had a distinctive style of play was Costa Rica.  Canada had talented players and was the team to beat. Unlike previous years it seemed like the team composition was not based on any alleged quota system which meant that advancing to the final round was important. 

 Costa Rica was questioning lady luck for yet another spell at the big tournament after having to open World Cup 2006 against host Germany and now Canada in the first game of CONCACAF Gold Cup 2007 USA.

 

On June 6, 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup kicked off under cloudy skies at the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami where Costa Rica and Canada lock horns. Costa Rica controlled the first half of play but Canada took care of the scoreboard with a double scored by Julian De Guzman in the second half to erase a one goal deficit. Canada won the game 2-1 and gained the early lead in the Group A standings as Guadeloupe and Haiti played to a 1-1 tie in the second game of the double header.  

In the second games of the group Canada was caught by surprised and lost to a tough Guadeloupe team 2-1. Guadeloupe defeat of Canada was the start of the upsets of Gold Cup 2007. Haiti and Costa Rica tied 1-1 in the second game of the double header which left three out of the four teams in the group under pressure to advance. Heading into the third group A games Guadeloupe was the only team which had secured a spot into the second round with four points. Canada stood in second place with three points as Costa Rica and Haiti had two points apiece

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

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