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Result and details of the Men's World Cup Qualifier between Canada and Dominica played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:30pm.

Canada (all white, red names and numbers)

......................22 Kenny Stamatopoulos
2 Nikolas Ledgerwood...5 David Edgar...15 Adam Straith...3 Ashtone Morgan
6 Julian de Guzman (cpt)...23 Tesho Akindele...14 Samuel Piette...10 Jonathan Osorio
..............9 Tosaint Ricketts...21 Cyle Larin

Subs:...1 Lars Hirschfield (gk)...4 Mallan Roberts...7 Russell Teibert...8 William Johnson...11 Marcus Haber
...12 Maxim Tissot...16 Nana Attakora-Gyan...17 Manjrekar James...19 Randy Edwini-Bonsu...20 Karl Ouimette
team officials:...head coach Benito Floro

Dominica (yellow socks, names and numbers, black shorts, green shirts)

.....................1 Glenson Prince (cpt)
2 Aldrin Lawrence...3 Joseph Malcolm...4 Hubert Prince...6 Kervin Lawrence
8 Glenworth Elizee...7 Julian Wade...19 Briel Thomas...15 Sydney Lockhart
.................18 Chad Bertrand...9 Randolph Peltier

Subs:...5 Kurtney McKenzie...10 Eddie Thomas...11 Travist Joseph...12 Releighson Pascal...13 Bert Casimir
...14 Naeille Lee...16 Egbert Walsh...17 Darlton Bannis...20 Anfernee Frederick...21 Josley Prince...22 Owine Oscar
...23 Stuart Scotie Phillip
team officials:...head coach Shane Marshall

Game officials:...referee Gianni Ascani (Turks & Caicos Islands)...referee's assistants Ainsley Rochard (Trinidad) and Caleb Wales (Trinidad)
...fourth official Bryan Willett (Antigua and Barbuda)...(all black uniforms)
match commisioner Raymond Anderson (Jamaica)...referee assessor Donald Jose Guido Campos (Nicaragua)...general coordinator Les Meszaros (Canada)
...venue press manager Michele Dio (Canada)

First Half:...game starts 7:37pm...Canada defends north end.
3 min...Canada Tesho Akindele GOAL...Can Nikolas Ledgerwood throw-in from right has Can Julian de Guzman cross from 20 yards on right is over to left and ball is partially cleared. Akindele low 15 yard shot is straight ahead and inside left post.
4 min...Can Ledgerwood low 18 yard shot from far right bounces to goalie on right post.
7 min...Can Morgan cross into box from 25 yards on left is cleared by defenders at 15 yards.
8 min...Can Edgar 60 yard chip from right has goalie leap to catch ball just under bar and has time to pick up ball unchallenged.
10 min...Can Ledgerwood cross from 22 yards near right sideline has Can Ricketts head 8 yarder from right into short side webbing of net.
13 min...Can Morgan short throw-in from left near cornerflag gets it back and cross has Can Ricketts head 12 yarder that goalie pushes over net.
13 min...Can Osorio short cornerkick from left gets ball back to him and he crosses into box and defender heads away at 10 yards.
13 min...Can Osorio 28 yard shot from left has goalie fly left to catch ball and is injured at 5 yards.
16 min...Can Ledgerwood cross from 25 yards on right has defender head ball to right and defender clears off Can player for goalkick.
17 min...Can Osorio and Larin are called offside on Can Ricketts cross from right into Dom box at 8 yard line.
18 min...Can Edgar blasts 50 yarder from right that goalie flies right to bat down and smother ball.
19 min...Can Osorio cornerkick from right has ball cleared on left.
20 min...Can Akindele low 22 yard shot from left is caught by sprawling goalie on bounce.
21 min...Can Akindele shoots 20 yarder after receiving quick freekick from 35 yards that's caught by goalie.
22 min...Dom Peltier gets breakaway from 45 yards on left and 20 yard shot is blocked by goalie at 12 yards. Peltier gets rebound on left end line at 10 yards and short cross is caught by goalie on left post.
23 min...Can Ricketts cross from 18 yards on right has ball deflect off defender at 6 yards and goalie pushes ball wide right on near post for cornerkick.
24 min...Can Osorio cornerkick from right has two defenders head ball away.
24 min...Can Morgan cross from 25 yards on far left drifts behind net.
26 min...Can Larin is injured in Dom box turning around towards goal at 13 yards.
28 min...Can Larin gets 15 yard shot from right that goalie knocks across box, defender hooks ball away on slide to prevent Can Osorio getting 10 yard shot to open net.
29 min...Can Morgan cross from 30 yards on left is well wide right of net.
30 min...Dom goalie catches cross at 5 yards sent in from left.
33 min...Dom Peltier bends 25 yard shot from left wide right of net.
34 min...Dom Hubert Prince makes sliding block at 8 yards to clear ball.
36 min...Can Ledgerwood 30 yard freekick from right is passed back to him and his recross is cleared from edge of box.
37 min...Can Morgan rush to cross from 22 yards on far left and play is flagged offside in box.
39 min...Can Ricketts cross from 20 yards on right has Akindele pop up header forward while off balance at 12 yards even with left post but defender heads away from 8 yards.
40 min...Canada Cyle Larin GOAL...Can Nikolas Ledgerwood rolls pass forward from 40 yards on left to Larin who turns and fires 25 yarder from left is into right side of net past flying goalie Glenson Prince.
41 min...Can Ledgerwood cross from 20 yards on right has Can Osorio at 15 yards on left head ball short to middle of box and Can Larin tangle his feet and not away shot.
42 min...Dom Thomas is injured at Dom 45 yard line and wins freekick.
46 min...Dom Aldrin Lawrence 55 yard freekick from right has defender head ball away after pop up at 15 yards in middle.
47 min...Can Ricketts 25 yard shot on rush on right is just high and wide left of top corner of net.
48 min...half ends 8:25pm.

Halftime Entertainment: There was no halftime entertainment. There were a few announcements of the upcoming Gold Cup match and International club date friendly (not involving TFC).

2nd Half:...starts 8:40pm.
45 min...Can Morgan rush down left and low cross from 25 yards has retreating defender blast away clearance.
46 min...Can Osorio and Larin work out short cornerkick from left has Larin cross from 15 yards that drifts behind net.
46 min...Can Larin misses bicycle kick and recross has goalie jump over him getting up to punch the recross away.
47 min...Can Larin midair chip at 18 ayrds is wide right of net.
48 min...Dom Aldrin Lawrence long throw-in from right has ball knocked around and Dom Peltier shoot 12 yarder from right high and wide left of goal.
49 min...Dom Lockhart is injured at Dom 40 yard right sideline.
51 min...Can Tosaint Ricketts GOAL...Can Ashtone Morgan rolls ball forward from 70 yards down left sideline to Can Tesho Akindele at 30 yards and he runs down left wing and sends low cross from left edge of box is rolled across box and charging Ricketts shoots low 8 yarder forward into right side of net.
53 min...Can Larin rush up left but pushes ball over end line before he can cross.
54 min...Dom sub...Joseph replaces still injured Lockhart.
55 min...Can wins Penalty kick call near right end line at 10 yards because of a hand ball by a defender.
55 min...Can David Edgar blasts Penalty kick low down middle and diving goalie Glenson Prince pushes ball wide left of post.
56 min...Can Osorio cornerkick from left gets back to him after pop up and he crosses over net from 15 yards on left.
57 min...Dom player's 30 yard freekick tap over has blast down middle stopped at 10 yards by defender and then Dom Wade shot is blocked by defender.
58 min...Dom Peltier ic checked off ball at 15 yards down middle.
60 min...Can Osorio cornerkick from left is short to Can Morgan and he taps back and Osorio then crosses over players in box.
61 min...Can Akindele rush on left for pass and rolls 22 yarder from left that goalie smothers on left side of goal.
61 min...Can Akindele cross from 25 yards on left is over Can Ricketts in box and out right side.
62 min...Can sub...Haber replaces Larin.
67 min...Dom Elizee run on left nad cuts back centering pass for Dom Bertand to shoot 25 yard roller up middle wide right of net.
69 min...Dom Kervin Lawrence 35 yard freekcik from left is caught by goalie wide right of net.
70 min...Dom Aldrin Lawrence long throw-in from right has defender clear. Dom Kervin Lawrence low 22 yard shot from left is smothered by goalie.
70 min...Dom YELLOW card...Bertrand earns it for tackle at Can 25 yard line.
71 min...Can sub...Tissot replaces Akindele.
72 min...Dom sub...Frederick replaces Bertrand.
73 min...Can Morgan wins cornerkick trying to cut over from left end line.
74 min...Can Osorio cornerkick from left has defenders clear at 10 yards on left side of box.
76 min...Can Haber rolls pass for Can Ricketts who at 8 yards has Dom Aldrin Lawrence slide and injure him on right side of box.
77 min...Can Tosaint Ricketts GOAL...Can Jonathan Osorio chips low pass from 55 yards down middle to Rickets at 25 yards and he takes 15 yard shot over sliding goalie at 8 yards into middle of net.
78 min...Dom Wade run down right and cross into box from 20 yards has defender clear.
78 min...Dom Aldrin Lawrence long throw-in from right has Can defender clear off Dom player for deflected goalkick on right.
81 min...Can Ricketts dekes defender on right and low cross from 25 yards on right bounces through box unplayed.
82 min...Can Ledgerwood low 15 yard shot from right is past goalie diving forward at 6 yards and ball rolls unplayed out left side of box.
82 min...Can Ledgerwood attempt for 5 yard shot on right is already over end line.
83 min...Can sub...Roberts replaces de Guzman.
.........Dom sub...Bannis replaces Elizee.
84 min...Can Ricketts has defender prevent him from getting away shot.
85 min...Can Haber low cross from 25 yards on left has Dom Thomas at 12 yards in center of box slide and kicks ball out left for a throw-in.
86 min...Can Ricketts dekes defender at 30 yard line on right and cuts torward goal and 10 yard shot has goalie block and deflect ball wide right for cornerkick.
87 min...Can Osorio cornekrick from right drifts behind end line before bending back into play.
88 min...Can Ricketts rush on right and Can Osorio eludes defender and 12 yarder down middle hits left post. The deflection hits a defender on the line rolls under that fallen goalie.
90 min...Can player's freekick from 28 yards from left wins a cornerkick on the right.
90 min...Can Osorio cornerkick from right has Can Edgar get ball eventually and takes low 22 yarder smothered by goalie in middle.
91 min...Can Straith outjumps Dom Wade to prevent header attempt at 10 yards up middle.
91 min...game ends 9:26pm.

Final Score:......Canada.........4........Dominica........0.........

Canada wins the two game aggregate by a score of 6-0. Canada had a two goal advantage scoring important away goals but that should not have been a worry based on the quality of their opponents. I was certainly looking forward to the game as the Women's team was having trouble scoring in their first two games.

Attendance was announced as 9749. I'd been wondering how low it might be when I was offered a week ago on Ticketmaster a 2 for 1 ticket offer. Prices were reasonable in Section 108 where I sit for Toronto FC games. Only $40 however a $9 handling charge and $5 for something else which made the ticket $54 which is still at least 1/3 less than my TFC tickets even for the cheapest weeknight games. At the end of the game the Canadian players walked to the south end to salute the Canadian supporter groups. The Dominican players walked to the north end at the same time to salute their fans. From my view they had more supporters--however I'd say that everyone in the east stand were supporting the Canadians. I had not see the East side addition from the west side until tonight. No tickets were sold in this new upper deck section and only the first six rows of the West side stands were sold. These sections were not in the camera view so the stadium didn't look so empty.

There was no television coverage! I was not surprised that the game in Dominica last week was not covered but for tonight's "media centre of Canada"? Are the reporters away covering the women's World Cup in other Canadian cities? I'm one of only 20 reporters on the list of seats for the press. There was enough room for me to rock side to side on my chair to see around the pillar in front of me. This was my first national team game since last year for the men's friendly against Jamaica in September. I passed on a chance to see the women's team in Hamilton for a pre World Cup match against England a few week's ago as that's a long drive and I had some games in Toronto to see the next day.

The weather was warm with winds from the north with a bright sun in the north west. It had rained for hours last night but the field was dry and in fact they had the water sprinklers turned on before game time.

Canadian goalie Milan Borjan was Red carded near the end of the first match last week for handling the ball outside the box so the goalie choice was between Kenny Stamatopoulos and Lars Hirschfield. Stamatopoulos earned the shutout and made one key save at 22 minutes or the momentum may possibly have changed for a time.

It looked like Tosaint Ricketts was presented as Man of the Match by a camera crew as he was giving an interview while still on the field. He scored two key goals. Tesho Akindele scored in the first three minutes to get Canada off to a good start. Akindele was a great pick up as there was a fear he would play for the United States a few months ago. He plays for FC Dallas in the MLS. Cyle Larin was the number 1 choice in the MLS draft this January and plays for Orlando City. I saw him for a few games last year on Sigma FC of League 1 Ontario's inaugral year.

David Edgar had two great chances at 8 and 18 minutes where he took long shots that almost went in. Then he had his second half penalty kick saved.

There's lots of the coaches and players comments on the game at the postgame press conference and hallway interviews in my next post.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

game stats from mlssoccer.com

Goals and Assists
4'  Tesho Akindele 
41' Cyle Larin           Assisted By: Tesho Akindele 
52' Tosaint Ricketts     Assisted By: Tesho Akindele 
77' Tosaint Ricketts     Assisted By: Jonathan Osorio 

Disciplinary
71' Chad Bertrand        Reason: Foul 

Team Statistics

CAN                         DOM
 20     Shots                10 
 15     Shots on Target       2 
  5     Shots off Target      4 
  0     Blocked Shots         4 
  9     Corners               0 
 41     Crosses               2 
  3     Offsides              0 
  9     Fouls                11 
  0     Yellow Cards          1 
  0     Red Cards             0 
560     Total Passes        207 
 87 %   Passing Accuracy     63 % 
 73.5 % Possession           26.5 % 
 51     Duels Won            45 
 27     Tackles Won          23 
  2     Saves                11 
 12     Clearances           27 


Canada starters


Dominica starters


Dominica Julian Wade (7) and Randolph Peltier (9) take opening kickoff.


A cross into the Dominica box.


Canada Julian de Guzman (6) rushes past Dominica Sydney Lockhart (15).


Dominican fans in the north end.


Canadian supporter groups in the south end.


Canada Cyle Larin (21) and Julian de Guzman (6) take second half kickoff.


Canada Ashtone Morgan (3) rushes in from left.


Canada David Edgar (5) takes penalty kick.

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