Archive for Men NT
A Useful Exercise
Ben Knight
Contributor
InsideSoccer Magazine
writes and publishes Onward!
Argentine aftermath
They’re so fast – relentless. They leap on mistakes like pumas on a wounded bratwurst.
In a packed park in Buenos Aires, World Cup-bound Argentina laid a 5-0 sledgehammering on a game but exposed Canada, in their final tune-up game before next month’s World Cup in South Africa.
Canada didn’t play all that badly overall, I thought. But any margin they’d usually have – that half second before the tackle, that yard of space you’d normally have to work with – was simply gone.
Relentless Argentine ball-hawking and layered, almost rugby-style fast breaks rendered Canadian intention and strategy irrelevant. The lads in red did what they could. What was done to them could not be reasonably withstood.
So – a disaster? An embarrassment? Honorary mention at the world avalanche-eating championship?
I’m going to take the minority position – that this was actually a useful exercise.
Canada’s Busy Invaluable Experience Weekend
Jason De Vos
writes and broadcasts at CBC Sports
Mixed results for Canada’s national teams
This weekend was a busy one for Canada’s various national team programs. Training camps and international friendlies took place around the world, and while the results were mixed, the experience gained was invaluable.
The men’s U-17 team took part in a tournament in Martinique, coming away with a morale-boosting, first-place finish. A 2-1 victory over the host country followed a 1-0 victory over Guadeloupe and a 3-1 victory over Martinique’s U-16 team. Canadian captain Bryce Alderson of Kitchener, Ont., was named the tournament’s most valuable player.
The men’s U-20 team took part in the 2010 Internationale Cor Groenewegen Toernooi in Groenewegen, Netherlands, where they finished 11th out of 12 teams. The tournament featured a mix of international and club teams, where each team played five matches in the group phase before taking part in a classification match on Monday afternoon.
Canada finished the group phase having lost all five matches, scoring one goal and conceding eight. Although the results were not what one would have hoped for, this type of international experience is exactly what our young players need in order to develop.
The women’s national team, meanwhile, held a 10-day training camp in Maryland, which they capped by playing the Washington Freedom of the Women’s Professional Soccer league. Despite going behind 3-1, the women battled back to tie the game 3-3 with goals from Christina Julien, Christine Sinclair and Jodi-Ann Robinson.
The women are preparing for a friendly with former World Cup winners Norway on June 3, as well as the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, which serves as the qualification tournament for the FIFA Women’s World Cup being held in Germany in 2011.
Finally, the men’s national team travelled to Buenos Aires to take on powerhouse Argentina.
No Easy Or Quick Solutions To Change
Paul James
writes James on Soccer at GlobeSports
Lessons from a 5-0 defeat
With the 19th edition of the FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa only a few weeks away, it was encouraging to see our Canadian national team competing against one of the world’s iconic football nations. It gives Canadians a flavour of what international football is all about at a festive time of football celebrations around the globe.
Canada’s game versus Argentina was an excellent match up for our senior men’s national team. The Canadian Soccer Association, with president Domenic Maestracci and general secretary Peter Montopoli at the helm, should be given huge credit for organizing this and other games for our national team in 2010. It is the only way for our men’s team to be more competitive when qualifying begins for World Cup 2014 in the CONCACAF region.
There comes a point when the CSA cannot be blamed for the results of our men’s national team. The game versus Argentina is that point. No amount of CSA change will alter the facts and realities of this particular pairing, which is why it is so important we compete in games like this in the first place. Even hardcore critics do not know where to turn for explanations.
Canada Humbled In Argentina
Canada plays historic match against Argentina
Canada’s men’s national team lost to Argentina today in an international friendly match in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The two-time FIFA World Cup champion dominated en route to a 5:0 victory in its send off match before the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. Maximiliano Rodríguez (twice), Ángel Di María, Carlos Tévez and Sergio Agüero all scored for Argentina in the win.
The match was played at the Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti in Buenos Aires, with a reported 66,000 fans in attendance. As the match was part of the bicentenary anniversary of the Revolución de Mayo, the pitch was covered with confetti at kickoff.
Canada’s starting XI featured Pat Onstad in goal, Paul Stalteri at right back, André Hainault and Richard Hastings at centre back, Mike Klukowski at left back, Nik Ledgerwood at right midfield, Daniel Imhof at centre midfield, Will Johnson at left midfield, and Dwayne De Rosario, Rob Friend and Josh Simpson up front.
Argentina, meanwhile, featured Sergio Romero in goal, Jonás Gutiérrez, Nicolás Budisso, Nicolás Otamendi and Gabriel Heinze at defence, Javier Mascherano, Maximiliano Rodríguez, Ángel Di María and Javier Pastore at midfield, and Carlos Tévez and Gonzalo Higuaín up front. Lionel Messi had been listed as a starter, but he was withdrawn from the list and replaced by Pastore just before kick off.
Right from the opening whistle, Argentina was on the attack. It won six corner kicks in the first half as well as several dangerous free kicks. Onstad made a save on a free kick in the 11th minute, but he had no chance on the next one in the 15th minute. It was on that kick that Rodríguez opened the scoring for the home side.
Rodríguez then made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute. Tévez started the run with a Canadian defender on the ground and then slipped the ball to Rodríguez inside the penalty area. Rodríguez had no problem slipping the ball underneath goalkeeper Onstad for his second goal of the match.
Five minutes later, it was Di María on a wonderful approach with the shot released just before entering the penalty area. Di María hit the ball with the outside of his boot up and over the Canadian goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Two more goals were scored in the second half, the first of which came in the 63rd minute on a goal by Tévez. Tévez took a pass from Gonzalo Higuain to make it 4-0 for the home side. Then in the 71st minute, substitute Sergio Agüero came down the left side, made a nifty turn with the ball inside the penalty area, and then blasted a shot for the fifth and final Argentine goal.
As for Canada, its best chance of the match came in the 64th minute, less than a minute after the Tévez goal. Friend managed to get a header in the right direction, but Argentine goalkeeper managed to make the save.
As this was an international friendly match, both sides made numerous substitutions. Canadian coach Stephen Hart made four changes in the second half, replacing Ledgerwood, Friend, Hastings and De Rosario for Jaime Peters (56th minute), Simeon Jackson (66′), Adam Straith (81′), and Stephen Ademolu (88′).
Argentina’s coach Diego Maradona, meanwhile, made six substitutions. He switched out Rodríguez, Mascherano, Heinze, Higuaín, Tévez and Pastore for Juan Sebastián Verón (46′), Mario Bolatti (59′), Clemente Rodríguez (59′), Martín Palermo (68′), Sergio Agüero (70′) and Ariel Garcé (75′). Amongst those players that did not feature were the hurt Messi, Bayern Münich’s Martín Demichelis, and Europen champion Internazionale FC’s Walter Samuel and Diego Milito.
Up next for Canada will be the May 29 match against Venezuela in Mérida, Venezuela.
Onstad sets national record for goalkeepers
Canada’s Pat Onstad has established a new national record for appearances by a goalkeeper. The 23-year veteran has made his 57th appearance with the national team today, breaking the record he shared with former national goalkeeper Craig Forrest.
Onstad set the record in Canada’s historic match against Argentina. Onstad was the starting goalkeeper in the May 24 match played at Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti in Buenos Aires. This is Canada’s first-ever match against two-time FIFA World Cup champion Argentina.
“I have been fortunate to enjoy a long career and this Argentina match is right up there for me with some of the biggest I have ever experienced,” said Onstad.
Onstad was just 20 years old when he made his national debut back on February 18, 1988 – a 0:0 draw with Bermuda. He has since taken part in four CONCACAF Gold Cups (including a championship in 2000) and four FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. He holds the national record with 21 clean sheets and is the oldest national player at 42 years of age.
Canada to face Peru this September in Toronto
There will be one more South American opponent on Canada’s 2010 schedule. The Canadian Soccer Association has announced today that it men’s national team will face Peru at home this September 4 in Toronto, ON. The home match will be played at BMO Field and is part of a two-match home series that features Peru in Toronto on September 4 and Honduras in Montréal on September 7.
Canada will also face Ukraine in Ukraine on October 8.
“We are pleased to be facing an established opponent like Peru on our home soil,” said Canadian national head coach Stephen Hart. “This match gives us an excellent opportunity to prepare against solid competition. We look forward to playing this match in front of our home fans.”
Canada has built some positive momentum with its 2010 schedule. The team is just beginning its early preparations for the next round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 2012, with the established goal to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
Coach Hart is in his first year as permanent head coach with Canada’s national team. He previously coached Canada at the 2007 and 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cups. Through 2014, Hart will also lead Canada at the 2011 and 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cups.
As for Peru, it has been 22 years since Canada last faced this South American opponent. That one and only encounter took place March 26, 1988 in Lima, Peru. Canada won 3:1 win goals from Lyndon Hooper, Nick De Santis and John Catliff. The goalkeeper of the day was Pat Onstad, who continues to wear the Maple Leaf for this South American trip to Argentina and Venezuela.
Ticket information for the Canada-Peru and Canada-Honduras home matches will be announced later this summer.
Other Results
U17s Win Martinique Tournament
U20s Finish 11th At Groenewegen Tournament
