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September 2, 2017 Canada vs Jamaica Men's International Friendly at BMO Field in Toronto (by Rocket Robin)

Canada (all red, white names and numbers)

..................18 Jayson Leutwiler
4 Michael Petrasso...5 Dejan Jakovic...3 Manjrekar James...17 Marcel De Jong
20 Raheem Edwards...13 Atiba Hutchinson (cpt)...16 Anthony Jackson-Hamel...21 Jonathan Osorio...6 Samuel Piette
..................10 David Junior Hoilett

Subs:...1 Simon Thomas (gk)...22 James Pantemis (gk)...2 Nik Ledgerwood (fwd)...7 Samuel Adekugbe (fwd)
...8 Jay Chapman (mid)...9 Cyle Larin (fwd)...11 Tosaint Ricketts (fwd)...12 Alphonso Davies (mid)
...14 Mark-Anthony Kaye (mid)...15 Amer Didic (def)...19 David Choiniere (mid)...23 Tesho Akindele (mid)
team officials:...head coach Octavio Zambrano

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

...................1 Andre Blake (cpt)
5 Alvas Powell...3 Damion Lowe...21 Jermaine Taylor...20 Kemar Lawrence
..........15 Je-Vaughan Watson...12 Michael Binns...19 Ricardo Binns
..........8 Onel Fisher...16 Dane Kelly...22 Romario Williams

Subs:...13 Dwayne Miller (gk)...4 Ladale Richie (def)...7 Devon Williams (mid)...9 Ewan Grandison (mid)
...10 Shamar Nicholson (fwd)...11 Vishinul Harris (mid)...14 Shaun Francis (def)...17 Jamiel Hardware (mid)
...18 Marvin Morgan
team officials:...head coach Theodore Whitmore

Game offficials:...referee Ricardo Montero (Costa Rica)...assistant referees Juan Carlos Mora (Costa Rica) and
Jairo Moreales (Puerto Rico)...fourth official Javier Santos (Puerto Rico)...(all black uniforms)

First Half:...game starts 7:10pm...Canada defends north end on this overcast evening with the temperature cooling.
45 sec...Can Hoilett cornerkick from left is headed high and through box unplayed. Can's win throw-in.
2 min...Jam Kelly run to right end line, cuts back and 12 yard shot from tough angle just wide left of post.
4 min...Can Hoilett 30 yard freekick from right is popped around in box and bounced out of box where Can James
centers low cross from 20 yards back into box and Jam goalie catches pop up at 8 yards in middle of crowd of players
and wins freekick call when Can Jakovic crashes into him.
5 min...Jam Kelly eludes sliding Can James on left at 20 yard line but fumbles ball over left end line.
7 min...Jam Morgan and Kelly work a play into the Can box up middle but Kelly shot hits defender and ball is cleared
at 12 yards.
10 min...Can Jackson-Hamel short run on right and rolls cross along 18 yard box which defender clears.
10 min...Can Hoilett at 20 yards pushes pass forward in middle but no one runs into box.
11 min...Can Hoilett chips low cross from left edge of box and Jam Powell slides at 10 yards and clears.
15 min...Can Anthony Jackson-Hamel GOAL...Can David Junior Hoilett intercepts pass from
Jam Jermaine Taylor at 15 yard line on far right and low cross into box has charging Jackson-Hamel even
with left post shoot 5 yarder forward into left side of open net past sprawling goalie Andre Blake who'd
been guarding right post.
18 min...Can Jakovic clears low cross at 8 yards sent into box from 25 yards on far left by Jam Taylor.
20 min...Can Hoilett rolls pass on right forward to Can Petrasso who crosses but bends just outside
box and defender clears at 20 yards.
20 min...Jam Fisher receives centering pass downfield from right and rolls 25 yard shot from right
well wide left.
22 min...Can Hoilett 35 yard freekick from right deflects off a few defenders just inside box and they clear.
23 min...Jam Powell shoots from 45 yard line from near right sideline is well over net.
24 min...Jam Kelly is injured in collision at Can 35 yard line with Can James.
25 min...Can De Jong long cross from 30 yard line on left bounces out right side of box. Can Hoilett gets to ball
at 25 yards on far right and turns and cuts back towards goal. He splits Jam defenders Morris and Lawrence on right
edge of box and third defender Binns runs by him making check attempt at 10 yards and Hoilett pokes 6 yarder that
goalie picks up on right post.
27 min...Jam Romario Williams is checked off ball on edge of Can box.
28 min...Can Hoilett cross from 25 yards on right is headed away at 12 yards on right by Jam Taylor.
29 min...Can Jonathan Osorio GOAL...Can Atiba Hutchinson dribbles into top left corner of box but
Jam Damion Lowe stands him up and Hutchinson cuts back to 28 yards and taps pass to Can Samuel Piette
at 33 yards in middle rolls ball forward to Can Anthony Jackson-Hamel at 22 yards and he backheels pass
to Osorio who steps forward from edge of box and in alone shoots 15 yard roller past sliding goalie
at 8 yards and into right side of goal.
31 min...Jam Lowe 50 yard freekick from right has goalie run forward to 12 yards to double fist it away
in crowd of players. Can Jackson-Hamel is hurt on play with goalie running into him on jump
and needs trainer.
33 min...Jam Morris 20 yard shot from right side of box is low and just wide left of net.
34 min...Can Hoilett is injured on run forward to get to Jam ball which is poked away by Jam Binns just
outside right side of box.
35 min...Can Osorio finishes give and go play with Can Edwards on left by being pushed by Jam Binns just
inside box but can't win Penalty call.
36 min...Can goalie catches bouncng ball wide left of goal just ahead of Jam Watson who'd chipped
it from 40 yards.
38 min...Can Jakovic pokes ball from Jam Romario Williams at 15 yards in right side of Can box.
Jam Powell gets to ball on right end line and crosses behind net.
40 min...Jam YELLOW card...Watson earns it. Jam Lawrence pushes over Can Hoilett from behind
at Jam 40 yard line. While down Watson kicks at kneeling Hoilett's arms who was sheltering ball but
whistle blown for freekick.
41 min...Can De Jong 45 yard freekick from right is cleared from box. De Jong gets ball back eventually
and recross bounces over end line on right.
42 min...Jam Binns 30 yard freekick down middle is well over net.
43 min...Can goalie runs to right and flies to beat Jam Romario Williams at 15 yards and punch ball to right.
Jam Fisher recovers ball and chips low from 25 yards on far right that goalie catches on bounce near right post.
44 min...Jam Lawrence chips 30 yard cross from left has charging Jam Romario Williams shoot 6 yarder near
right post that goalie saves on line pushing ball forward. Can James heads ball across box to prevent Jam Kelly
getting to rebound at 8 yards and Can Petrasso clears on edge of 6 yard box.
45 min...Jam Lawrence cornerkick from right has goalie punch ball away on right post in crowd of players.
46 min...half ends 7:56pm.

Halftime Entertainment: there are no events.

Second Half:...starts 8:13pm.
halftime subs:...Can Larin replaces Jackson-Hamel.
................Can Adekugbe replaces De Jong.
46 min...Can James jostles Jam Kelly at 12 yards to prevent him getting a shot on net.
47 min...Jam Powell run to right end line after recovering clearance and crosses is over box.
Jam Morris runs near left end line to recover, turn, and recross from 20 yards that wins
cornerkick on deflectiion off Can Petrasso.
48 min...Jam Lawrence high cornerkick from left has ball drop and Can Edwards in crowd of players
one-touch clearance kick at 12 yards clear.
48 min...Jam Powell low cross from 25 yards on right wins throw-in on clearance at 15 yards
by Can Piette in middle of Can box.
49 min...Jam defender at 15 yards heads away cross from 30 yards on right into box.
50 min...Can Adekugbe run up left and cross in from 30 yards has charging Can Larin knock 10 yarder
forward from just left of post wide left. Adekugbe is hurt on play.
53 min...Can sub...Kaye replaces injured Adekugbe.
53 min...Jam player's cross after short throw-in on left from 25 yard line is high and headed away at 15 yards in box by Can Hutchinson.
55 min...Jam sub...Grandison replaces Binns.
.........Jam sub...Devon Williams replaces Watson.
57 min...Can James gets back to make another clearance in Can box ahead of charging Jam Powell
on right side of box.
57 min...Jam sub...Harris replaces Romario Williams.
........Jam sub...Hardware replaces Morris.
59 min...Can Larin receives pass on edge of Jam box but can't get shot away when swarmed by defenders.
60 min...Jam sub...Francis replaces Lawrence.
61 min...Jam Powell cross from 25 yards on right is popped away on header at 8 yards by Can Jakovic
and Jam Grandison runs forward to blast 22 yarder up middle well over net.
62 min...Jam Kelly charges up middle to get to partial clearance and blasts 22 yarder well over net.
63 min...Can Chapman replaces Hutchinson. Can Jakovic becomes captain.
65 min...Can Edwards turns around Jam player at center line and runs up right and cuts towards middle
and shoots 30 yarder well over net.
68 min...Can Hoilett pass from 30 yards in middle is forward and left for Can Kaye who wins cornerkick
on left on deflection of his cross by sliding Jam Fisher from 15 yards along end line.
69 min...Can sub...Davies replaces Edwards.
69 min...Can Hoilett cornerkick from left eventually sent back to him and recross is cleared.
72 min...Can Osorio pass down right for Can Petrasso and his low cross is partially deflected and cleared
in middle at 8 yards.
73 min...Can Hoilett 30 yard freekick from left is bent well wide left over net.
73 min...Jam sub...Miller replaces Blake in goal. Miller becomes captain.
75 min...Can RED card...Alphonso Davies earns it after winning throw-in when he's knocked over near
left cornerflag but turns and karate kicks at Jam Damion Lowe towards face while both are prone on ground.
78 min...fans begin the Iceland style handclaps.
78 min...Jam Hardward cross from 25 yards on right is over players and bounces wide left but flag
was up for offside.
79 min...Jam Powell low shot from 25 yards on right deflects of Can Hoilett and bounces towards right post but
Can Piette runs it away from 5 yards.
80 min...Jam Harris at 25 yards wide right of box pokes ball back to Jam Powell and he rolls pass into box
from 22 yards that finds Harris at 12 yards with Jam Hardware also waiting. Harris blasts shot from 8 yards
on right but sliding Can Jakovic deflects ball high and wide right of net.
80 min...Jam Francis cornerkick from right has Jam Taylor alone on left fire low 10 yarder that sprawling goalie
saves near left post.
80-85 minutes...midfield action ticks away the clock.
86 min...Can James gets back again to near edge of Can box to break up poor backpass that almost sent Jam
in on 2 on 1 break.
87 min...Can Hoilett rolls 28 yarder between players from left that rolls to goalie.
87 min...Can Hoilett run up left to end line and rolls 15 yard cross that goalie dives forward to smother.
88 min...Jam Hardware cross from 22 yards on right just outside Can box has Can Osorio stop and clear to prevent two Jam players waiting in middle of box.
89 min...Jam Grandison 30 yard shot down middle is well over net.
90 min...Can sub...Ricketts replaces Osorio.
90 min...Jam Devon Williams rolls 40 yarder forward down middle easy for goalie as no Jam players ran for it.
91 min...Jam Francis rush on left and low cross along 8 yard line from 20 yards has Jam Hardware just a step behind
getting to ball at 8 yards in middle.
92 min...Jam Powell cross from 28 yards on right has Can Petrasso clear from box with kick after Jam player had overrun ball at 10 yards in middle.
93 min...game ends 9:01pm.

Final Score:...Canada.....2......Jamaica......0.....

Attendance was announced as 21724.  While waiting for the press conference to start we were told 
by CSA staff that this was the second largest men's friendly--the largest was in 1994 in Edmonton 
against Brazil.  It was just shy by a few hundred of the record national team game at BMO Field 
for a game between Canada vs Jamaica in 2008 which was a World Cup Qualify.  If the price for seats 
started at $20.00 while a ticket let adults bypass the $19.00 entry fee for the Canadian National 
Exhibition so for some it was like watching a soccer game for $1.00.  

There were four Toronto FC players on the roster.  Jonathan Osorio and Raheem Edwards were starters.  
Tosaint Ricketts replaces Jonathan Osorio at 90 minutes so we didn't quite have all four TFC players 
on the field at the same time.  Jay Chapman came in at 63 minutes to replace Atiba Hutchinson.  
Jacovic became Canada's captain when Hutchinson left.  Edwards came out at 69 minutes.  

Jamaica had two of their starting forwards that play for the USL Charleston Battery but they never 
connected for any scoring plays.  The fans in the crowd were divided from what I could see but Jamaican 
fans were frustrated by their team shooting off target or having saves made and being checked 
off the ball.  

I didn't hear who the Man of the Match was if one was announced at all.  I was told it was Junior Hoilett 
which I can understand for his offensive skill.  I enjoyed Manjrekar James on defence with except for being 
beat once at the 5 minute mark, the rest of the night he was spectacular with cflearing crosses sent into 
Canada's box and making some checks inside the box to break up Jamaican scoring chances. 

Canada has had a better weekend so far that then the USA who lost a home game World Cup Qualifier 2-0 
against Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey last night.  What will the mood of Michael Bradley 
and Jozy Altidore be like when they return to TFC after Tuesday's road game against Honduras?  Will the 
Canadians on TFC even get to start next Saturday at BMO against San Jose Earthquakes?  Canadians have been 
relegated to the bench and come in as late game subs.  

A late e-mail of news added Andre Blake to the Jamaican roster and he was the starter tonight.  He had 
played in the Gold Cup and got them to the Final before having his hand injured in that game against 
the USA.  Back up Dwayne Miller was subbed in at 73 minutes.  The Jamaican head coach said at the press 
conference that the switch was made as Miller had come all the way from Sweden for this game.  His club 
team is Valsta Syrianska IK.  

The Canadian goalie tonight was Jason Leutwiler.  He made some crucial saves in only his third cap.  
His club team is listed as Blackburn Rovers of England.  He was born in Switzerland but 
is a dual national.  

On a different thread I have recorded interviews and made summaries of the post game press conferences 
of both Jamaican and Canadian head coaches and have hallway interview with five different Canadian players.  
One player who wasn't selected was TFC's Raheem Edwards but I saw him on his way out and complemented him 
on climbing from TFC II of USL within one year to the national team and from League 1 Ontario with 
ANB Futbol (and other L1O teams) before that.  

While waiting between players in the hallway for interviews, Paul Stalteri came by and I unbuttened 
my outer shirt to show him I was wearing a 1997 Toronto Lynx t-shirt.  He was recently inducted into the 
Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.  In 1997 Stalteri and fellow teenager Dwayne DeRosario played for that 
team's inaugral season.

Tonight Toronto FC II was playing a home game against Rochester Rhinos and lost 1-0.  It was the first 
home game of the season that I've missed but tonight's once a season visit of the Men's national team 
made this an early decision for me.  

In a special pregame ceremony some awards were presented very quickly.

50+ caps for the national team:  Marcel De Jong, Tosaint Ricketts, and Nik Ledgerwood. 

2016 Player of the Year:
   Men's Under 17 player:  Alphonso Davies  who was also presented as the Gold Cup Golden Boot winner
   Men's player of the year:  Atiba Hutchinson   (I remember as part of the media voting for him 
   months ago)

Allstate Insurance 'more of the match' winners:  four fans got seat upgrades.

After the national anthems, a presentation was made to Hall of Fame entrant Paul Stalteri.



Canada starters



Jamaica starters



Canada Jonathan Osorio (21) takes opening kickoff.



Canada David Junior Hoilett (10) sends freekick into box.



more action in Jamaica box.



Jamaica Michael Binns (12) freekick is through Canadian box.



Canada David Junior Hoilett (10) lines up for freekick.



Canadian players come to south end stand to salute the Voyageurs supporter group.

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