Canada falls 1-0 to Jamaica in opening match of 2010 season
Canada’s men’s national team lost 1-0 to CONCACAF rival Jamaica in its opening match of 2010. Luton Shelton’s 67th minute goal was enough to see off Canada at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. The Canada-Jamaica fixture was the first match for Canada following Stephen Hart’s permanent appointment to the head coach position in early December.
“I am not happy with the result but I think the overall performance was good enough considering I knew we would struggle physically in the second half,” said Coach Hart. “I thought we were doing very well in the first half until we suffered a key injury in midfield. We created a number of chances in the second half and on another day we could have scored the first goal of the match.”
Canada’s line-up mainly featured players whose clubs are currently on a winter break while Jamaica fielded a largely in-season domestic based squad.
“I knew from our training sessions that physically we were going to struggle,” commented Hart. “Full credit to our players, they played through it and they kept themselves in the game and as I say on another day we could have come away with the result.”
After a scrappy opening to the match both teams settled into the flow of the game. Canada used its five man midfield to stifle the Jamaica attack and create turnovers going the other way. Jamaica employed a more direct style throughout the match trying to play the ball over the Canadian back line for their speedy forwards to run on to.
Jamaica were the first to threaten either net when in the fifteenth minute a Jamaican attacker wriggled free of defender Andrew Hainault, but was unable to trouble Canadian goalkeeper David Monsalve from a tight angle.
In the 24th minute Canadian winger Stephen Ademolu showed his speed, making a 25 yard run through the Jamaica defence from the centre circle to the top of the box before laying the ball off to a wide open Ali Gerba, unfortunately for Canada Gerba was in an offside position.
Canadian goalkeeper David Monsalve had to be alert in coming off his line on several occasions in the first half to beat the Jamaican forwards to long through balls. Indeed it was Monsalve’s brave stop off the excellent Shelton in the 35th minute that kept the game level. Monsalve dove at the feet of Shelton and took the ball of his boots before he could shoot after the tall striker had dribbled through the Canadian defence.
Canada entered the match light at the midfield position after both Will Johnson and the returning Dwayne De Rosario were forced to pull out due to injury, and things became more complicated for Hart after Antonio Ribeiro hobbled off on 42 minutes. Adrian Cann replaced Ribeiro at the heart of the Canadian midfield. After Canada starting the second half slowly, Julian de Guzman fired a speculative effort over the bar from 25 yards out in the 52nd minute. Gerba was the next to go close for Canada after a slide rule pass from de Guzman created space for the big striker but he could only blast over the bar when well positioned in the Jamaican box. Canada looked to have taken the lead on 65 minutes as de Guzman and Ante Jazic combined well down the Canadian left only for Jazic to be ruled offside as he squared the ball for Stephen Ademolu to tap into the open net.
Canada was left to rue their missed opportunities as just two minutes later Shelton scored the lone goal of game following a momentary lack of concentration in the Canadian defence. Shelton was found unmarked on Canada’s right and after taking a couple of touches he made no mistake beating Monsalve low to the inside post.
Gerba came closest to equalizing for Canada in the 85th minute following a strong individual effort. Gerba latched onto a long ball, held off his defender, turned and fired a rocket that was acrobatically tipped over the bar by the Jamaican goalkeeper.
Following the match Stephen Hart singled out his defence for their strong play against a physical opponent. “I though Ante Jazic and Dejan Jakovic were exceptional tonight, they got through a lot of work, said Hart. I was also very impressed with Ali Gerba’s second half, he ran, he created gaps, he got behind the defence, and he pressured the defence, those things please me a lot.”
“We are obviously disappointed in the result tonight,” said Canadian Captain Ante Jazic following the match. “We defended well for the most part considering Jamaica played a very direct game throughout the full ninety minutes and we had a lot of guys out of season. It was a good experience for the young guys, and moving forward with Stephen Hart I like this squads chances for success.”
No fewer than five players made their full national team debut on Sunday night. Goalkeeper David Monsalve and midfielder Massih Wassey were named in Canada ’s starting eleven. Nana Attakora, Randy Edwini-Bonsu, and Carlos Rivas all entered the match as second half substitutes.
“Some of our young players did exceptionally well, Stephen Ademolu and Massih Wassey in particular stood out,” said Hart. “I thought David Monsalve read the game quite well, he has excellent feet, and he came up with a save that kept us in the game, all credit to him, the young man did well.”
Canada’s starting XI on the night featured David Monsalve in goal, Ante Jazic at left back, Dejan Jakovic at centre back, Andre Hainault at centre back, Eddy Sidra at right back, Massih Wassey at left midfield, Antonio Ribeiro at centre midfield, Julian de Guzman at centre midfield, Tyler Hemming at centre midfield, Stephen Ademolu at right midfield, and Ali Gerba at forward.
With the loss Canada’s away record in Jamaica falls to one win, three draws and four losses in eight matches played. Canada still holds the all time head-to-head advantage with a record of seven wins, six draws, and four losses against Jamaica.
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