retired_hafa2915

It's about time for a Canada story . I'll be following this one for sure.

retired_tiffstarr

No players from domestic canadian league?

Good story

retired_lruby217

Great Story!

retired_hafa2915

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tamarisk:
No players from domestic canadian league?

Good story <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

We don't have a domestic league. But there is the A-League though which has some Canadian teams combined with American. But from what I've heard they changed the name now to something else

retired_heathermarie

(There ARE some semi-pro teams in Canada (aside from the A-League/USL Division 1 teams) but the majority of players are quite poor. Maybe good enough to warm the bench on the B team. Maybe.)

Questions and answers from the press conference…

Q: Obviously the deck’s been stacked for this match, but do you think that you need all these talented players to defeat St. Kitts?

A: I think so. I think that we’re at a point now where we can’t take any competitive match lightly, and I’d hate to be in a must-win situation on June 19. My plan is that the best possible team will be fielded in the first game, and then depending on the result achieved we’ll see how the second game will be approached. There’s a few players here I’m dying to take a look at, but since we have no time for friendlies we need to take this seriously; having said that, I’m hopeful a few of the younger guys will get a run-out.

Q: Have you or anyone in the CSA scouted the St. Kitts side, and if so have you drawn any conclusions from them?

A: Not really. We’ve done some background checks but all we really know is that they have 3 players who are on Peterborough’s squad from England, and 2 players compete for Sabah in Malaysia. The rest of the squad seems to be composed of local boys. We think their biggest threat is Callum Willock, who had 8 goals for Peterborough last season… But they certainly are a developing soccer nation. We’ll show them respect, but we’re also coming to compete.

Q: Will this be the squad that you bring into the next round, assuming all goes well?

A: The shape of the squad probably won’t change that much, but things happen… You have injuries, suspensions, poor form and other things like that which need to be addressed at times. I’ve contacted a few players and told them that they’re still in the national team’s plans, even if they won’t be playing in the St. Kitts series. We have many talented players who are gaining attention at clubs throughout Europe and the world, and it’s important to keep track of as many of them as possible.

retired_heathermarie

June 12, 2004

FIFA World Cup - CONCACAF Qualifying - Second Phase First Leg
Canada vs. St. Kitts & Nevis

Canada (4-4-2): Onstad, Serioux, Brennan, De Vos (c), McKenna, Hume, Stalteri, Hutchinson, Bernier, Radzinski, Occean. Subs: Sutton, Reda, Klukowski, Nsaliwa, De Guzman, Friend, De Rosario.
St. Kitts & Nevis (4-4-2): Martyn, Newton, Vassell, Burton, Ellis, Callinan, Pearce, Crawford, Ifill, Gumbs (c), Willock. Subs: Jeffers, Halls, Critchley, Sanders, Lake, McHale, Lawson.

The match got off to a great start 7 minutes in, when Radzinski came down the right flank and found Hume, who flicked the ball to Bernier in order for the Tromso player to score his first goal for the national team. St. Kitts looked pretty nervous from where I was standing, but they played a balanced first half and didn't do anything stupid or anything; they just played a defensive style of soccer, although they can't time their tackles at all. Stalteri found that out first hand, as he had to limp off the field at the half thanks to a Pearce challenge. De Guzman replaced him and looked lively in the second half, as did the entire team. A terrible Martyn clearance fell right into Occean's path, and rather than go for the quick shot, he passed to Radzinski for the easy tap-in to make it 2-0 at the 54 minute mark. Occean and Radzinski teamed up again in the 66th minute, as the former's shot was blocked by Martyn, but he couldn't clear as Radzinski took a shot from a tight angle that just made it into the far side of the net. We had a chance for a 4th goal in the 79th minute when De Vos was brought down inside the box, but Martyn managed to make a great save. Ifill started to mouth off at some of the boys in the closing minutes and was deservedly sent off for an early bath.

Canada 3 (Patrice Bernier 7, Tomasz Radzinski 54, 66; Jason De Vos m/p 79)
St. Kitts & Nevis 0 (Linvoy Ifill s/o 85)

Man of the Match: Tomasz Radzinski
Attendance: 60,188
Referee: Kevin Terry

retired_heathermarie

Mexico humiliated by Nicaragua; other favorites win

Fifa.com – Mexico’s shock 3-1 defeat to Nicaragua highlighted an otherwise uneventful night in CONCACAF qualifying for the World Cup.

Victor Webster, Clarence Martinez and Jose Bermudez all scored within a 20-minute stretch in the first half to send Mexico into a state of shock. Jared Borgetti gave Mexico hope for the second leg with his goal in the second half, but the defeat will surely go down as one of the most humiliating in Mexican football history. Failure to advance to the next round would be catastrophic.

Other top teams avoided Mexico’s fate. Earnie Stewart, Brian McBride and Clint Mathis all found the net in the United States’ 3-0 win against Guyana. Canada also managed a 3-0 scoreline against St. Kitts & Nevis, with Tomasz Radzinski netting a pair.

Costa Rica scored twice in two minutes off Paulo Wanchope and Rolando Fonseca, but Belize struck back through Dean Flowers to cut the final score to 2-1. Carlos Ruiz scored two goals and was named man of the match in Guatemala’s 4-0 rout of the Dominican Republic.

Results from today’s FIFA World Cup CONCACAF Second Round, First Leg qualifiers:
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Antigua & Barbuda 1-3 PanamaBarbados 0-2 El SalvadorBelize 1-2 Costa RicaBermuda 2-2 JamaicaBritish Virgin Islands 1-2 Trinidad & TobagoCANADA 3-0 St. Kitts & NevisDominican Republic 0-4 GuatemalaGrenada 0-0 HaitiGuyana 0-3 U.S.A.Nicaragua 3-1 MexicoSt. Vincent 2-2 HondurasSurinam 0-0 Cuba</pre>

retired_jgirl87

Good win first up, Pierroth. :thup:

KUTGW, I'll be following the efforts of your boys.

retired_heathermarie

(Thanks!)

June 19, 2004

FIFA World Cup – CONCACAF Qualifying – Second Phase Second Leg
St. Kitts & Nevis vs. Canada

St. Kitts & Nevis (4-4-2): Martyn, Newton, Vassell, Burton, Ellis, Callinan, Pearce, Crawford, Spiller, Lake, Gumbs (c). Subs: Neville, Jeffers, Sanders, McHale, Baldwin, McMahon, Willock.
Canada (4-4-2): Sutton, Harmse, Klukowski, De Vos (c), McKenna, Hume, Stalteri, Bircham, Bernier, De Rosario, Friend. Subs: Onstad, Reda, Brennan, Nsaliwa, De Guzman, Occean, Radzinski.

A much different look to the team today, as I felt that 3 goals was enough of a margin to be able to experiment with a few new players, while keeping some veteran presence on the field as well. Sutton, Harmse and Friend were all handed their first caps. St. Kitts were much more fluid with the ball in the first half, as they pretty much had no pressure to do well and were just trying to play respectfully. It would be Canada getting the first goal however, as a long Stalteri ball found De Rosario, who made some great moves to get around the defense and slide the ball home at the 22 minute mark – his first goal for Canada. The only highlight of the second half was De Vos picking up a yellow card for a rash challenge on Willock, but St. Kitts were more than happy to get the ball out of play and allow the clock to run down. We had a few chances, but there’s bigger fish to fry.

St. Kitts & Nevis 0
Canada 1 (Dwayne De Rosario 22)
(Canada advance 4-0 on aggregate)

Man of the Match: Marc Bircham
Attendance: 7,981
Referee: Armando Archundia

retired_heathermarie

Wild night sees Mexico, Costa Rica eliminated by minnows

Fifa.com – CONCACAF World Cup qualifying took an unexpected turn today, as 2002 World Cup participants Mexico and Costa Rica were both bounced from the competition.

Mexico needed to defeat Nicaragua by 2 goals, but Jose Bermudez and Mario Alberto Gaston scored in the first half to send the crowd at the Azteca Stadium into a state of panic. The Mexican team was booed throughout the second half, German Villa’s goal having no effect on calming the crowd. Nicaragua ended up winning 2-1 and qualified 5-2 on aggregate, a result that not only shattered the spirit of the soccer-mad Mexicans, but also surely sets the stage for manager Ricardo Antonio LaVolpe’s departure.

Following the match, police arrested more than 120 fans following riots outside the Azteca. Tear gas was used to disperse the crowds, and 26 people were taken to hospital with “minor injuries” according to a police official.

Costa Rica looked to be in good shape after Saturday’s match against Belize, and Paulo Wanchope put them in a good position to qualify with a 5th minute goal. Belize pressed, however, and goals by Dean Flowers and Bent Burgess gave them the win after 90 minutes by a 2-1 margin. Extra time solved nothing, and with the aggregate score being 3-3, a penalty shootout was necessary. Both teams connected with their chances until Austin Gerardo Berry, Costa Rica’s 8th shooter, hit the crossbar on his attempt. Vallan Symms converted for Belize to send yet another top team out of the competition.

Other minnows were not as lucky. The United States outplayed Guyana in recording a 2-0 victory to advance 5-0 on aggregate. Canada also advanced, 4-0 on aggregate after a 1-0 win over St. Kitts & Nevis.

Three teams put 4 goals on the board this evening. Carlos Ruiz scored another 2 goals in leading Guatemala to a 4-1 win over the Dominican Republic (8-1 on aggregate), Honduras relied on Carlos Alberto Pavon’s performance as he scored a brace to pace them to a 4-1 win over St. Vincent (6-3 on aggregate) and Panama breezed past Antigua & Barbuda by the same scoreline of 4-1

Results from today’s FIFA World Cup CONCACAF Second Round, Second Leg qualifiers:

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Costa Rica 1-2 Belize(3-3 on aggregate, Belize wins penalty shootout 8-7)Cuba 2-1 Surinam(2-1 on aggregate)El Salvador 3-1 Barbados(5-1 on aggregate)Guatemala 4-1 Dominican Republic(8-1 on aggregate)Haiti 1-3 Grenada(1-3 on aggregate)Honduras 4-1 St. Vincent(6-3 on aggregate)Jamaica 2-1 Bermuda(4-3 on aggregate)Mexico 1-2 Nicaragua(2-5 on aggregate)Panama 4-1 Antigua & Barbuda(7-2 on aggregate)St. Kitts & Nevis 0-1 Canada(0-4 on aggregate)Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 British Virgin Islands(4-1 on aggregate)U.S.A. 2-0 Guyana(5-0 on aggregate)</pre>