Canada plays opening match at 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup

Canada gave up three second-half goals in an 0:3 loss to Uruguay in its opening match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Mexico 2011. Juan Cruz Mascia got things rolling in the 52nd minute before Guillermo Méndez and Elbio Alvarez added to the Uruguayan lead.

"I don’t think it was a 3-0 match," said Canadian head coach Sean Fleming. "On the first goal, there was a bit of confusion as to whether it was a throw in or a corner. Unfortunately, our boys lost a bit of concentration and it was disappointing to give up a goal like that."

Canada took a few minutes to get rolling, but a fine build up led to Sadi Jalali playing a clever chip through to Michael Petrasso in the 13th minute. Petrasso mis-hit his chance right at goalkeeper Jonathan Cubero who had come out to close down the space.

Yassin Essa had Canada’s best chance of the half in the 33rd minute. The forward made a run across the 18-yard box before getting off a low shot with his left foot. The shot was right at Cubero, but he spilled it and Essa was just a step behind before the goalkeeper plunged onto the rebound.

Before the half was out, Crépeau was forced to make a diving save to his right after a swerving free kick from about 35 yards out.

"We created some great chances in the first half," said Fleming. "In the first half, I was really happy how we kept the ball, moved the ball side to side, then made our chances. Unfortunately we didn’t take them; in football, if you don’t take your chances, it sometimes comes back to haunt you like it did today."

Uruguay carried 56 percent of the possession while getting three shots on goal to Canada’s two shots on goal in the first half.

Just four minutes into the second half, Crépeau made another fine save. He dove to his left to push a shot from Leonardo Pais around the post for a corner.

Uruguay finally capitalized in the 52nd minute following a corner kick. The team had two chances to clear the corner, but the ball ended up on the boot of Mascia who gave Uruguay the lead.

Undaunted, the Canadians responded well with some pressure of their own. Fifteen minutes into the second half, Canada had a long free kick that was met by the head of Luca Gasparotto, but Cubero got a hand to it to concede a corner.

After pressuring in vain to find an equalizer, Canada conceded a penalty in the 84th minute after Adam Polakiewicz knocked Guillermo Méndez to the ground. The contact came after Méndez’s initial header had gone off the crossbar. Méndez stepped up to take his own penalty and scored Uruguay’s second goal of the match.

Elbio Alvarez rounded off the scoring in the third minute of added time. He was played in with a perfectly weighted through ball before he slotted the ball past the onrushing Canadian goalkeeper.

For this match, Canada’s starting XI featured Maxime Crépeau in goal, Adam Polakiewicz at left back, Daniel Stanese and Luca Gasparotto at centre back, Parker Seymour at right back, and Michael Petrasso, Samuel Piette, Bryce Alderson, Yassin Essa, Keven Aleman and Sadi Jalali from the midfield up through to the attack.

In the second half, coach Sean Fleming substitutions were Essa off for Omari Morris (67th minute), Piette off for Matteo Pasquotti (76′), and injured Crépeau off for Quillan Roberts (89′). Crépeau came off following a collision late in the match.

Uruguay’s starting XI featured Jonathan Cubero in goal, Emiliano Velázquez, Gaston Silva, Gianni Rodríguez and Alejandro Furia at defence, and Leonardo Pais, Elbio Alvarez, Jim Varela, Juan Manuel San Martín, Rodrigo Aguirre and Juan Cruz Mascia from the midfield up through to the attack.

In the second half, coach Fabian Coito’s three substitutions were Velázquez off for Heber Ratti (46′), San Martín off for Guillermo Méndez (64′), and Varela off for Santiago Carrera (74′).

Canada played its opening match in front of 12,699 fans at the Estadio Hidalgo in Pachuca, Mexico.