Canada Earns Positive Scoreless Draw to Celebrate Centennnial

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Canada’s men’s national team picked up a well-earned 0-0 with neighbours USA in an Men’s International Friendly Sunday 3 June at BMO Field in Toronto. 

Playing in front of 15,247 fans, Canada put in a solid performance in their final game before FIFA World Cup Qualifiers resumes in Cuba on Friday. The friendly was organized to celebrate the Canadian Soccer Association’s Centennial. Canada played in specially-designed blue kits to mark the occasion. 

The Americans enjoyed the better share of the possession in the early going of the first half but didn’t see many chances at goal until the 15th minute. 

Canadian goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld had to be sharp a quarter of an hour into the game as Edgar Castillo took an audacious shot from 35-yards away. Hirschfeld had to backtrack and tipped the ball over for a corner. 

Just two minutes later, Canada countered when David Edgar launched a cross in from the right side but it was just too far for a stretching Olivier Occean. 

Canada continued to get the better chances as the half progressed. In the 23rd minute, Nik Ledgerwood was in the box and was able to head it onto Tosaint Ricketts. Ricketts had to drop to the ground to get a left-footed shot away but American goalkeeper Tim Howard dove smartly to his left to save. 

Ledgerwood was involved in the action again in the final ten minutes. Though the play had been blown dead for a few seconds, Ledgergood got the ball into the net from a ridiculous angle—it surely would have been a highlight reel goal had it counted. 

As in the first half the Americans started brighter but the Canadians found their feet as the half progressed. Shots by Julian de Guzman and Simeon Jackson in the 67th and 68th minutes respectively could have given Canada the lead. 

But there was no greater chance for Canada to pick up the win in second half stoppage time. Dwayne De Rosario won some space near the end line on the left side before cutting the ball back. Unfortunately for Canada, Jackson stabbed the ball wide from just yards out.

Hirschfeld saved the tie with virtually the last kick of the game. The Americans won a free kick that was headed toward goal but the Canadian keeper tipped the ball over to preserve the draw. 

Canada’s starting XI featured Lars Hirschfeld in goal, David Edgar at right back, Kevin McKenna and Andre Hainault at centre back, Ante Jazic at left back with Julian de Guzman, Nik Ledgerwood, Tosaint Ricketts, Will Johnson, Dwayne De Rosario and Olivier Occean from the midfield through the attack. 

After making no changes in the first half, Canadian head coach Stephen Hart replaced Occean with Simeon Jackson (65’), Ledgerwood with Pedro Pacheco (73’), Ricketts with Iain Hume, de Guzman with Samuel Piette (86’), and Jazic with Mike Klukowski (88’). 

The United States starting XI had Tim Howard in goal, Steve Cherundolo at right back, Clarence Goodson and Carlos Bocanegra at centre back, Edgar Castillo, with Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Jose Torres and Clint Dempsey from midfield through the attack. 

In the second half, American head coach Jurgen Klinsmann replaced Bocanegra with Oguchi Onyewu, Torres with Jozy Altidore (62’), Donovan was replaced by Maurice Edu (73’), Gomez with Chris Wondolowski, Cherundolo with Michael Parkhurst (81’).