Result of the Wednesday June 1st Men's international Friendly between the national teams of Canada and Ecuador played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:00pm.

Canada (red socks and shirts, black shorts, white numbers)

............18 Milan Borjan
2 Nik Ledgerwood...15 Dejan Jakovic...4 Kevin McKenna (cpt)...19 Marcel de Jong
8 Will Johnson...7 Terry Dunfield...14 Dwayne De Rosario...13 Atiba Hutchinson
..........17 Simeon Jackson...11 Josh Simpson

Subs:...(actually used)...5 Andre Hainault (mid)...6 Julian de Guzman (mid)...9 Rob Friend (fwd)...16 Tosaint Ricketts (fwd) ...20 Jaime Peters (mid)
also listed:...1 Lars Hirshcfeld (gk)...22 Haidar Al-Shaibani (gk)...3 Mike Klukowski (def/mid)...12 Pedro Pacheco (mid) ...21 Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault (mid) team officials:...head coach Stephen Hart

Ecuador (white socks, blue shorts and numbers, yellow shirts)

.............1 Marcelo Elizaga
18 Neicer Reasco...2 Banner Calcedo...3 Frickson Erazo...10 Walter Ayovi (cpt)
19 Luis Saritama...6 Christian Noboa...14 Segundo Castillo...7 Michael Arroyo
..........17 Jaime Ayovi...11 Christian Benitez

Subs:...(actually used)...5 Oswaldo Minda (def)...8 Edison Mendez (mid)...21 Joao Plata (fwd)
also listed:...12 Alexander Dominguez (gk)...22 Maximo Banguera (gk)...4 Luis Checa (def)...9 Narciso Mina (fwd)...13 Flavio Caicedo (mid) ...15 Diego Calderon (mid/def)...20 Juan Carlos Paredes (mid/fwd) team officials:...head coach Reinaldo Rueda

Game officials:...referee Raymod Bogle (Jamaica)...referee's assistants Stephen Brown (Jamaica) and Dion Neil (Trinidad/Tobago) ...fourth official Silviu Petrescu (Canada)...(all black, neon yellow trim)

1st Half:...game starts 7:09pm...Can defend north end on this mild evening with the sun in the nort west for the first half before it set.
2 min...Ecu Jaime Ayovi takes ball off Can de Jong at center line and rushes on right and shoots 15 yarder wide right from tough angle.
2 min...Ecu Jaime Ayovi gets pass down left side and rolls cross into box but defender clears then defenders block two more shots on edge of box.
5 min...Can Jackson pushes ball too far forward and over end line from 15 yards on left.
7 min...Can Hutchinson pushes ball forward for Can Simpson who wins cornerkick on 7 yard cross that deflects off sliding defender.
7 min...Can De Rosario cornerkick from left has goalie catch it when Can Jakovic runs through it just a step too soon.
8 min...Ecu Arroyo cuts in low shot through crowd of players from 20 yards on left wide right of net.
8 min...Can Jackson can't get to long Can goalkick and bounces for Ecu goalkick.
9 min...Ecu Castillo pushes through ball that charging goalie picks up on edge of box.
10 min...Can de Jong long pass has Can Simpson called offside and ball bounces over end line.
11 min...Can McKenna heads cross from right through own box to keep it away from Ecu forwards.
11 min...Ecu Ayovi gets back own throw-in on left and crosses high and behind net.
14 min...Can de Jong good dribble and then chips pass forward down left wing for Can Simpson in box on left who slides to cross from 18 yards just a step in front of Can De Rosario at 5 yards.
16 min...Can de Jong cross through box from 30 yards on left has no Can players run in for it.
16 min...Ecu Walter Ayovi cross from 35 yards on left has sliding Can McKenna connect to knock left but towards end line and goalie kicks ball out of bounds on wide left for throw-in.
17 min...Ecu Walter Ayovi centers pass from 25 yards on left and Ecu Castillo blasts low 20 yard shot down middle wide right.
18 min...Ecu Jaime Ayovi dekes defender at 7 yards on right but pushes ball behind end line.
21 min...Ecu Arroyo cross from 22 yards on left and Ecu Benitez nods header down wide right from 10 yards.
22 min...Can Terry Dunfield GOAL...Can Josh Simpson pushes short pass from 25 yards on left and Dunfield blasts 30 yard shot down middle to top right corner of net past goalie Marcelo Elizaga.
24 min...Can Simpson dekes two guys on run up left wing and cross has sliding Can de Rosario miss at 5 yards but Can Johnson shoots 8 yarder from right that would have gone wide left but goalie on left swats ball away over to right. Johnson can't get ball back into box when he recovers rebound near right end line.
24 min...Can Ledgerwood crosses from 20 yards on right that defenders knock around in box but eventually flub clearance for cornerkick.
25 min...Can de Jong cornerkick from right has sliding Can Jakovic cross ball from 5 yards on left back over to right where Can McKenna misses 3 yard header because defender heads ball over end line.
25 min...Can de Jong cornerkick from right is over players in box and bounces for goalkick on left.
27 min...Ecu Arroyo gets ball crossed backwards to him at 15 yards, runs past defender but checked off ball at 7 yards in box.
28 min...Ecu Benitez squeezed off ball on 1 on 2 rush up middle at 35 yards.
29 min...Can De Rosario rush on left and 25 yard shot is caught by goalie with two Can players in box.
31 min...Ecu player is checked off ball and Can Jackson rush down middle and 30 yard blast has flying goalie push ball wide right.
32 min...Can de Jong cornerkick from right is over box and Can Jakovic cross from left is headed away from box by defender.
32 min...Ecu Jaime Ayovi on rush down right rolls pass from 20 yards for sliding Ecu Benitez to poke 8 yard shot that goalie stops.
36 min...Ecu Benitez behind defender and 12 yard on left is saved by sprawling goalie and sliding second shot by Benitez while sitting on ground is saved by prone goalie at 7 yards by rolling to the left to smother ball.
36 min...Ecu Benitez picks up bad backpass and rushes down middle from 28 yards but sliding Can McKenna checks him on edge of box.
36 min...Can YELLOW card...Dunfield earns it for sliding tackle on Ecu Walter Ayovi at center line side line. Can Jakovic was injured on edge of Can box earlier in this play.
38 min...Can sub...Hainault replaces injured Jakovic.
39 min...Ecu Arroyo on right near end line crosses from 15 yards and ball is set on header by Ecu Saritama set for Ecu Noboa who shoots high and wide left from 10 yards.
40 min...Can Simpson receives throw-in from left and dribbles into Ecu box but is checked off ball.
43 min...Ecu Benitez pushes ball up middle to Ecu Jaime Ayovi but offside at 20 yards. Goalie makes save on dive anyway.
45 min...Can Simpson long 50 yard run up middle but falls in Ecu box without getting away shot.
46 min...half ends 7:55pm.

Halftime entertainment: A Nutrilite Relay Challenge with two pairs of fans dribbling a soccer ball upfield. I was surprised the pair that had the barefoot girl won with her taking a big lead to set up the win.

2nd Half:...starts 8:11pm. The sun was not a factor any longer.
halftime sub:...Can de Guzman replaces Dunfield.
46 min...Can Jackson holds off Ecu Erazo and off balance shot from 12 yards on left is high and wide left of net.
47 min...Can Johnson then Can Jackson are both pushed over while defender works ball away from right end line.
47 min...Ecu goalie catches Can Johnson's 25 yard cross from right.
49 min...Can Simpson tugged over on run up middle wins freekick up middle at Ecu 40 yards.
49 min...Can De Rosario blasts 40 yard freekick from left misses top left corner.
51 min...Ecu sub...Mendez replaces Noboa.
53 min...Ecu Arroyo low shot from 25 yards hits Ecu Benitez and deflects for throw-in on left.
54 min...Can Simpson gets to poor goalie clearance on pass back but ball deflects of him for goalkick.
55 min...Ecu Mendez 35 yard freekick from right is over box wide left but bump wins freekick when Can Ledgerwood pushes over Ecu Benitez.
56 min...Ecu Mendez 22 yard freekick from extreme left has goalie catch near left post.
56 min...Can Jackson 18 yard shot from right is well over net.
57 min...Can sub...Friend replaces Simpson.
58 min...Ecu Mendez 25 yard shot down middle is high and over net but wins cornerkick on deflection.
58 min...Ecu Mendez short cornerkick from right has Ecu Michael Arroyo 18 yard cross from left side cleared by Can Friend at 5 yards in center of box.
59 min...Ecu Mendez feeds ball up middle to Ecu Jaime Ayovi behind defender and falls when taking 10 yard shot up middle low and wide left.
60 min...Can de Guzman low 35 yard shot from right deflects off defender to goalie.
60 min...Ecu Saritama rush on right and low 20 yard cross from right is blocked and cleared by Can Hutchinson.
61 min...Ecu player blasts 30 yard shot down middle that has Can goalie block on left side of net but cornerkick given when ball dribbles over end line.
61 min...Ecu Chritian Benitez GOAL...Ecu Walter Ayovi cornerkick from left has Benitez in middle head in at 7 yards on right.
62 min...Can Jackson 20 yard cross on left end line is caught by goalie.
63 min...Ecu Michael Arroyo GOAL...Arroyo blasts 30 yard shot down middle into top right corner of net with goalie Milan Borjan frozen in place.
65 min...Can Hutchinson feeds pass down middle for Can De Rosario whose low shot from 10 yards is blocked point blank by sprawling goalie for cornerkick.
66 min...Can de Jong rolls cross from 15 yards along left end line and goalie dives forward to smother it as Can Jackson falls over him.
67 min...Ecu Saritama 25 yards on right crosses that goalie runs left to palm ball out of box.
69 min...Can Ledgerwood low cross from 20 yards on right is stopped by defender.
71 min...Can Jackson holds off defender at 10 yards on left, turns and crosses from 15 yards that defender heads away from 5 yards and Can de Guzman flubs midair shot from 18 yards that defender heads away from inside box.
73 min...Can Ledgerwood cross from 30 yards on right has Can Jackson heads 10 yarder on left on leap popping ball ball up that goalie catches on bounce.
76 min...Ecu sub...Minda replaces Saritama.
78 min...Can sub...Peters replaces Johnson.
78 min...Can De Rosario cornerkick from left is caught by goalie in crowd of players.
80 min...Can Ledgerwood cross from 30 yards on right has defender head away on edge of box.
81 min...Can de Jong cornerkick from right has goalie catch in crowd of players in front of Can Friend. The goalie's back is injured and he's down for treatment for 2 minutes.
84 min...Can sub...Ricketts replaces Jackson.
84 min...Can De Rosario freekick from 40 yards down middle has goalie catch.
86 min...Can Hainault and Ecu Jaime Ayovi crash at Can 35 yards in center. Ayovi is injured.
89 min...Can De Rosario curls in 35 yard cross from left has ball bounce through to goalie.
90 min...Ecu sub...Plata replaces Arroyo.
91 min...Can de Jong 40 yard freekick from right has defender head ball away from inside box. Can de Guzman pushed from behind by Ecu Benitez and wins freekick down middle.
92 min...Can Tosaint Ricketts GOAL...Can Julian de Guzman quick freekick up middle from Ecu 30 yard line is over to Ricketts on left who shoots from 15 yards over diving goalie on right. A group of Ecu players were complaining about the awarding of the freekick and surrounded the referee about it leaving Canada with something like a six on one break.
93 min...game ends 8:59pm.

Final Score:.....Canada......2..........Ecuador.........2........

Attendance was announced as 14356 on this mild and sunny evening with a gusty wind from the west which helped on Canada's first and Ecuador's second goals. Fans were slow to file in with the early start on a week night. The crowd was pro-Ecuador seen by the number of people in yellow shirts but the outnumbered Canadian fans were loud. A big batch were in the South stands near the east and the north west. These are the usual spots for the most vocal Toronto FC fans. The more expensive seats plus the north end zone had the most Ecuador fans. I didn't notice any groups of kids soccer teams. Having them there really helped boost attendance (and support for Canada) over the years. I don't know what happened to the promotion...there were plenty of print ads in the Toronto Star (who had no story about the game) and TV ads on GolTV. TFC ran the same TV ad/promos at their last few games.

Tonight was an important tune up for the Canadian team who coach Stephen Hart said have only had one and a half practices together since assembling. They start the Gold Cup tournament in Detroit against the United States next Tuesday. Ecuador is on a North American tour which included a game against Mexico so far.

Toronto FC was represented by Canadian midfielder Julian de Guzman who played the second half of tonight's game and Joao Plata playing for Ecuador who came on during injury time. It was his debut for the Ecuadorean men's team. He was supposed to join the team on their tour across North America but by Saturday he was back with TFC as a forward. Former TFC striker Dwayne De Rosario returned for a game in Toronto for the first time since his trade to New York Red Bulls and was cheered throughout the match. Terry Dunfield scored the first Canadian goal and jumped into the crowd of adoring fans in the south end. I don't think he'll be so warmly greeted when Vancouver Whitecaps are in Toronto for two games at the end of June.

Except for Joao Plata playing in Canada Christian Noboa playing in Russia, and four players playing in Mexico, the rest of the Ecuadorean plays in Ecuador. Canada has six players in the MLS and the rest are scattered around Europe.

I got to watch the game from the press box and for this game and got into the front row so I didn't have to stare around pillars and could take pictures. I got into the post game press conference to record what the coaches and players said. That's in another post.

stats from the CSA

  		Canada   Ecuador   
Goal Attempts	4(9)	8(15)
Shots on Target	4(6)	3(7)
Saves		3(5)	3(4)
Fouls		4(7)	2(9)
Corner Kicks	5(7)	0(2)
Offsides	2(2)	3(3)

Scoring Summary:
Can: 23' Terry Dunfield
Ecu: 62' Christian Benitez
Ecu: 64' Michael Arroyo
Can: 90' Tosaint Ricketts

Misconduct Summary:  
Can 37' Dunfield
Ecu 90' team


Canada starters


Ecuador starters


Captains attend the coin toss...Canada's Kevin McKenna and Ecuador's Walter Ayovi.


Ecuador takes opening kickoff.


Can Simeon Jackson rushes on left with Dwane De Rosario even with him.


Canadian cornerkick from the left.


The Canadians are going to lose possession on this play.


Canadian players return after saluting their fans in the South end after the game.

back to International games menu

.

.