Result of the Wednesday August 20th, 2008 World Cup Qualifying game between Canada and Jamaica played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:30pm.

Canada (all red, white numbers and trim)

.............18 Pat Onstad
7 Paul Stalteri (cpt)...15 Adrian Serioux...5 Richard Hastings...3 Mike Klukowski
8 Patrice Bernier...14 Dwayne De Rosario...6 Julian de Guzman...13 Atiba Hutchinson
...............16 Rob Friend...9 Tomasz Radzinski

Subs:...1 Greg Sutton (gk)...2 Daniel Imhof (def)...4 Kevin McKenna (def)...10 Ali Gerba (fwd)...11 Jim Brennan (def)...17 Iain Hume (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Dale Mitchell...assistant coaches Stephen Hart and Nick Dasovic...video co-ordinator Vic Mendes...goalkeeper coach Paul Dolan...manager Morgan Quarry...equipment manager Mike Moretto...physiotherapists Eddie Cannon and Tid Tilbury...doctor Dr Michael Campbell

Jamaica (yellow socks and shirts, black shorts and numbers)

...............1 Donovan Ricketts
2 Obrian Woodbine...4 Jermaine Taylor...5 Ian Goodison...15 Ricardo Gardner (cpt)
9 Andrew Williams...17 Rodolph Austin...7 Evan Taylor...12 Demar Phillips
.............14 Wolry Wolfe...18 Deon Burton

Subs:...3 Demar Stewart...6 Keneil Moodie...8 Davien Thorpe...10 Jermaine Hue...11 Luton Shelton...13 Shawn Sawyers...16 Omer Cummings...--Tyrone Marshall...--Jevaughn Watson
team officials:...head coach Rene Simoes

Game officials:...referee Carlos Batres Gonzalez...assistant referees Edwin Gonzalez Florian and Ariel Mendez Escobar...fourth official Walter Lopez Castellanos (all four officials from Guatemala)

1st Half:...game starts 7:43pm...Can defends north end on this mild evening with the sun in the north west but the field is under shade.
4 min...Can DeRosario with back to Jam goal receives throw-in from Can Radzinski but checked off ball in Jam box on the right.
4 min...Jam Wolfe on rush pushes ball behind end line on right.
7 min...Can Friend gets short centering pass but shoots quick and weak low shot from 18 yards that bounces to the goalie to smother on left post.
8 min...Jam Goodison hooks shot over himself to clear ball from Jam box.
11 min...Can Radzinski gets back pass from Can DeRosario but 25 yard blast is well over net.
12 min...Can DeRosario knocked over by Jam Jermaine Taylor and wins freekick at Jam 30 yards on left.
13 min...Can DeRosario 30 yard freekick from left has ball lobbed into box and Jam Gardner leaps and heads ball over own goalie and end line for cornerkick.
13 min...Can DeRosario cornerkick from right is just over players in box and Can Hutchinson on left sideline passes back to Can de Guzman who lobs in 35 yard cross that defender heads away on edge of box.
15 min...Jam Jermaine Taylor 45 yard freekick is over players in box and wide left for goalkick.
16 min...Can de Guzman tripped up after long dribble and wins freekick from 40 yards.
16 min...Can DeRosario 40 yard freekick from right has Can Friend from 12 yards on left head ball wide left.
18 min...Can Hutchinson 30 yard blast up middle hits defender Jam Goodison injuring him on edge of box. Can Radzinski is checked off the ball.
20 min...Jam Williams 45 yard freekick from right sideline has Can Serioux head ball away. Jam pressure ends with Jam Evan Taylor's 35 yard shot up the middle that's high and wide left of goal.
21 min...Jam Goodison 55 yard freekick has Jam Burton spin and pass left over end line from 22 yards.
22 min...Can Serioux long throw-in from 25 yards on right has Can Bernier blast deflected shot from 20 yards on left and wins cornerkick. 23 min...Can DeRosario cornerkick from left has leaping goalie catch ball in crowd of players.
24 min...Can YELLOW card...DeRosario earns it for clipping heel of Jam Austin at Jam 30 yard line on left side after shirt pull on Austin doesn't draw a freekick.
28 min...Can Serioux called for leaping on Jam Burton's back for header.
28 min...Jam Austin 25 yard freekick deflects through players for goalie to stop in center of net.
29 min...Can Radzinski crosses from left 20 yards over Can Friend in box and out right side.
30 min...Can Friend pushes header forward on edge of Jam box after a few Can headers downfield and goalie charges out to grab it.
31 min...Jam Williams 35 yard freekick from left has Can Serioux leap to head ball out of box.
31 min...Can goalie catches long bouncer into box.
32 min...Jam Williams 25 yard cross from right is over head of Jam Burton on left at 12 yards and ball bounces wide left of net.
33 min...Jam Phillips cross from 35 yards near left sideline has Jam Williams charge to stop ball on right end line and put it into box but ball cleared by Can Hastings.
34 min...Jam Austin rolls pass across field at 30 yards from right sideline and has Can Bernier clear ball.
34 min...Can Klukowki 25 yard shot from extreme left is wide right for goalkick.
35 min...Jam Wolfe injured on left near center line as he did the splits to try to stop ball.
37 min...Jam Austin pops up 35 yard header wide left of net.
38 min...Can Klukowski long throw-in from left has Can Friend leap and head through Jam box and out right side.
39 min...Can du Guzman and Jam Gardner crash together at center line. Jam Gardner is injured and wins freekick.
40 min...Jam Evan Taylor fires 40 yarder wide right.
41 min...Can DeRosario backheels to Can Bernier for cross from left into box and Can Friend gets head to it but play whistled down and Jam given freekick.
43 min...Jam Williams cornerkick from left has Can Friend head a clearing ball away from 3 yards.
44 min...Can DeRosario 45 yard freekick from left has leaping goalie catch over Can player's head.
45 min...Jam YELLOW card...Williams earns it for tripping Can Radzinski who was running for loose ball on left at Jam 25 yards.
46 min...Can DeRosario 25 yard freekick from left lands on top of net on right.
46 min...half ends 8:29pm.

2nd Half:...starts 8:45pm...it's now dark.
47 min...Can Julian De Guzman GOAL...Can Dwayne DeRosario on right side of box passes high cross over to Can Tomasz Radzinski in on left who heads ball down to center and low 15 yard blast through legs of Jam Rodolph Austin has goalie Donovan Ricketts dive to right to get hand to it but pushes ball into right side of net.
50 min...Jam Williams 40 yard freekick on left sideline is blocked by Jam Phillips on edge of Can box but he's checked off ball.
51 min...Jam Woodbine quick freekick from 40 yard left sideline has Jam player pop over header from middle and Can Bernier on left kick ball behind own end line.
51 min...Jam Andrew Williams GOAL...Williams cornerkick from left has Can goalie left post fall back and palm back into own net on left post.
53 min...Can YELLOW card...Can Serioux earns it when Jam Wolfe injured near edge of Can box.
54 min...Jam Williams 22 yard freekick from right that's tapped over to him has goalie palm ball over net.
55 min...Jam Gardner cornerkick from right has goalie step forward and leap to catch ball.
55 min...Can Bernier crosses from right end line through box and goalie grabs as no Can players had made it into box.
56 min...Can Klukowski cross from 30 yards on left has goalie catch.
60 min...Jam Goodison chests ball back to goalie to break up Can Klukowski's 60 yard cross downfield from left sideline to Can DeRosario at Jam 28 yards.
61 min...Can Friend has ball cross over his head as he's charging into Jam box and Jam Gardner kicks ball behind own net.
62 min...Can DeRosario cornerkick from right has Can Friend leap and bounce weak 12 yard header to goalie.
63 min...Can Radzinski long run to ball near left corner flag but crosses behind net.
63 min...Jam sub...Shelton replaces Williams.
64 min...Can sub...Hume replaces Bernier.
66 min...Can de Guzman dribbles and pushes pass from 35 yards too far and rolls to Can goalie.
66 min...Can YELLOW card...Hutchinson for push on Jam Phillips at Can 40 yards on left although it may have been for argueing freekick call..
67 min...Jam Woodbine 40 yard low ball squeezes through players and bounces to Can goalie.
69 min...Can DeRosario gets give and go with Can Klukowski and crosses from 10 yards on left through box and out to charging Can Stalteri who pushes ball forward and right to Can Hume who chips cross from right and Jam Goodison pops up header for Can DeRosario to blast 8 yarder from left and flying goalie blocks on right post and Can Radzinski blasts 8 yarder down middle for goalie to block as he's getting up and deflect ball wide right.
70 min...Can DeRosario cross from near left cornerflag and Jam defender on left dives back towards goal and heads it wide right of net for cornerkick.
71 min...Can Hume cornerkick from right has defender near right goal post pop up header out of box.
71 min...Jam Wolfe 35 yard blast is low and wide right of net.
72 min...Can Hume cornerkick from right has Can Friend head ball from 10 yards that goalie blocks with hands but drops it and Jam Woodbine clears.
73 min...Can Serioux leaps for header at 27 yards and hits ball with his hand to break up play.
73 min...Jam player has freekick ball tapped over to him at center and 27 yard freekick up middle is blocked in Can box and cleared.
74 min...Jam Shelton run to ball on left and 20 yard shot is caught by goalie.
74 min...Jam Phillips 35 yard blast up middle just wide left of net.
75 min...Jam Austin injured at Jam 50 yards.
77 min...Can sub...Gerba replaces Friend before play restarted.
78 min...Can DeRosario on rush pushes ball behind end line expecting cornerkick on left as ball deflects off defender Jam Jermaine Taylor.
79 min...Can Hume at 45 yards on right sideline boots high cross downfield and Can Radzinski heads ball behind him in Jam box out to right side but noone is there to cross back into box.
80 min...Jam Shelton rush to ball on left and shoots wide right from 20 yards.
80 min...Can Hume crosses from right from 20 yards and Can DeRosario gets head to it but he's off balance and 6 yarder goes wide left. Replay showed it came off his hand that was higher than his head.
81 min...Jam Austin 35 yard freekick down middle is caught by goalie falling left.
83 min...Can Klukowski cross from 40 yards on left sideline has goalie drift right to catch ball.
85 min...Can Radzinski takes quick throw-in to Can Rosario who runs from center line along right end line and from 20 yards has low cross that Jam goalie dives forward to smother it in front of Can Gerba.
86 min...Can Gerba on edge of Jam box on left passes back to DeGuzman whose 25 yard blast down middle is just off bar on right and ball deflects over net.
87 min...Jam sub...Cummings replaces Wolfe.
88 min...Jam Shelton low shot from right through Jam Cummings slips on ball and Can Serioux concedes cornerkick.
89 min...Jam Burton heads 15 yarder on left to goalie after getting high cornerkick from right.
89 min...Can Stalteri chips ball into Jam box from 40 yards near right sideline has Jam goalie come forward and fall over Can Gerba as he leaps over him. Can DeRosario has blast stopped by sliding Jam Goodison and Can DeRosario tumbles over him and Can Hume on right end line has defender slide over and knock ball over end line for cornerkick
90 min...Can player's cornerkick from right has Jam Goodison fall and boot clearance ball from inside box.
90 min...Can Klukowski is touched over 35 yard freekick in middle by Can DeRosario and he blasts roller up middle and wins cornerkick as it deflects off defender.
90 min...Can Hume cornerkick from right is short into box and nearest Jam defender heads ball and clears ball away.
91 min...Jam sub...Hue replace Phillips.
91 min...Jam players 50 yard freekick down middle is kicked to right sideline and Jam Woodbine sends long cross from 40 yards over Can box and over to left end line and Can players cleared.
93 min...Jam Cummings cross to Jam Hue has him shoot 15 yarder to goalie.
94 min...Can de Guzman cross from 40 yards on left has charging Can Hume head 10 yarder from left just wide and left of net.
94 min...game ends 9:34pm.

Final Score:.........Canada........1........Jamaica........1.........

Attendance was announced as 21978 (a stadium record) on this warm evening. It took a long time for everybody to get into the stadium. The crowd was pro-Canadian but there were a lot of Jamaican fans in there scattered in all sections except in the south end.

Canada really needed to win this game. Expecting that Canada can't expect to win on the road, they have to win their home games. This was ranked Canada's 'easiest' games because Jamaica is the only team that ranks below Canada in this group that includes Mexico and Honduras. (Mexico playing at home won 2-1 to start their Group 2 campaign on a positive note). Canada now faces an absolute 'must win' home game against Honduras in Montreal on September 6th.

Canada looked the most dangerous during much of the game but Jamaica had their chances to get a win especially near the end of the game. I'd like to have seen Ali Gerba come into the game earlier for Rob Friend then the 78th minute. Canadian coach Dale Mitchell said at the press conference after the game that he didn't make his third substitute in case there was an injury or hometown favourite Jim Brennan might have been subbed in.

I'm still never sure if I will be able to get a press pass for a national team game of this calibre so I bought a ticket 12 row ticket in section 107 soon after they came on sale just in case I didn't get approved when press accreditation is issued about two weeks before the game. I still had my game day ticket and went to the Canadian National Exhibition (the stadium of tonight's game was on the grounds) early so I could look around the exhibits. I saw an Olympic sports display and someone who looked familiar running a soccer target shooting inside a mesh cage. I asked the woman who was the gatekeeper of who the soccer player was "Lyndon Hooper". Of course I knew him. Toronto Blizzard, Toronto Lynx, national team. I asked him between kids if he could see tonight's game. "You mean from here?" Oops not over the fence. No I meant if he had a ticket. "No". I had thought that former national team players had a special stadium box of alumni but I guess I was mistaken. Well I ended up giving him my ticket.

After the game I made sure I got down to the press conference in time to put my little MP3 recorder on the table so I could record every word. One of the limits of the other media is that a newspaper will only quote one sentence and television will only give a 5 or 10 second sound byte. I'd got the entire press conference from start to finish although it's not my voice asking any of the questions.

1st Half game stats Goals Shots Saves Corners Fouls Offsides
Canada.................0.....7....1.....2......11......0..... 											
Jamaica................0.....4....2.....1......10......0.....
2nd Half game stats Goals Shots Saves Corners Fouls Offsides
Canada.................1.....7....4.....4......15......0.....
Jamaica................1.....8....4.....3.......3......0.....


Canadian starters


Jamaican starters


Huge Canadian banner unfurled in the south end.


Jamaican defensive action


Jamaican coach Rene Simoes and player Ricardo Gardner at press conference


Canadian coach Dale Mitchell at Canadian half of press conference

MP3 File...press conference with Jamaican coach Rene Simoes and player Ricardo Gardner (from 0.00) and Canadian coach Dale Mitchell (from about 10:30 minute mark)

MP3 File...hallway interview with Julian De Guzman
a lot of this is in Spanish.

MP3 File...hallway interview with Pat Onstad
what can he say about that goal? he looked miserable.

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