October 16, 2018 Canada Soccer--Canada vs Dominica CONCACAF Nations League (by Rocket Robin)

...................................

Result and details of the Tuesday October 16, 2018 CONCACAF Nations League between Canada and Dominica
played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:00pm.

Canada (all red, white names and numbers)

......................22 Alessandro Busti
14 Liam Millar...3 Manjrekar James...4 Derek Cornelius...12 Alphonso Davies
7 Russell Teibert...13 Atiba Hutchinson (cpt)...21 Jonathan Osorio...20 Jonathan David
..............10 David Junior Hoilett...19 Lucas Cavallini

Subs:...1 Simon Thomas (gk)...18 James Pantemis (gk)...2 Zachary Brault-Guillard (def)...16 Jay Chapman (mid)
...5 David Edgar (def)...15 Doneil Henry (def)...9 Cyle Larin (fwd)...17 Ashtone Morgan (def)
...6 Sameueel Piette (mid)...11 Tosaint Ricketts (fwd)...23 Ballou Tabla
injured Scott Arfield (mid)
team officials:...head coach John Herdman

Dominica (yellow socks, white shorts and shirts, black numbers)

.......................1 Glenson Prince (cpt)
2 Kevin Lawrence...4 Malcolm Joseph...3 Euclid Bertrand...11 Sidney Lockhart
.............9 Javid George...19 Briel Thomas...18 Chad Bertrand
.............7 Julian Wade...21 Josley Prince...13 Anfernee Frederick

Subs:...12 Owine Oscar (gk)...5 Treston Kassim Peltier (def)...8 Donan Jervier (mid)...10 Arlington Fritz (mid)
...14 Ajaya Royer (def)....16 Travist Joseph (mid)...17 Sharmia Dangleben (mid)...20 Davorn George (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Rajesh Latchoo

Game officials:...referee Oscar Macias...referee's assistants Miguel Hernandez and Yudilia Briones
fourth official Marco Ortiz...(florescent green shirts, black shorts and socks)

First Half:...game starts 7:09pm...Canada defends north end on this cold night.
1 min...Can Millar low cross from 25 yards on far right is cleared, Can Teibert low cross from just outside top right corner
of box is also cleared.
1 min...Can Davies near left end line rolls ball into middle of box where defender partially whiffs on clearance but rolls
ball out middle of box.
2 min...Canada Jonathan David GOAL...Can Alphonso Davies receives short pass and runs down right wing and sends in low
cross from just inside left side of box behind Dom defender Malcolm Joseph at 8 yards and David charging forward cuts
in front of Can Lucas Cavallini and blasts 12 yard shot from left into top right corner of net over goalie Glenson Prince.
4 min...Can David cross from left has Can Cavallini heads ball from 8 yards that bounces over net.
5 min...Dom Wade 18 yard shot from left is just wide left.
8 min...Can Cavallini rolls pass forward on left and Can Osorio at 15 yards along end line rolls centering pass which is pushed
over line by sliding Malcolm Joseph.
9 min...Can work out a short cornerkick from left before crossing over to Can Miller who chips 25 yard cross from right has Dom goalie
beat Can Cornelius to catch at 6 yards and survive bump over.
10 min...Can Teibert sends ball forward to Can David who deflects ball forward to goalie from 15 yards.
11 min...Dom Euclid Bertrand long throw-in downfield from 45 yard line has Dom Wade not able to keep ball from going over end line.
13 min...Canada David Junior Hoilett GOAL...Can Russell Teibert at 40 yard line on slight right taps centering pass to Hoilett
at 35 yards who runs back down middle then turns at 40 yards and runs up middle. He rolls pass forward to Can Jonathan Osorio
at 30 yards who rolls ball forward to Can Lucas Cavallini at 22 yards who one touches pass forward and left to Can Jonathan David
on edge of box who runs forward until even with 6 yard line and rolls centering pass for Hoilett who shoots low 4 yarder forward
to just inside left post past diving goalie.
15 min...Dom Frederick on slight right chips 25 yard freekick to left where Dom Wade flies over and heads ball at 8 yards across box
and Can Cornelius turns and clears ball away but it was called for offside anyway.
15 min...Dom Josley Prince blasts 22 yard shot from left that partially blocked by foot of Can Millar and ball pops up and bounces
for goalie to catch.
16 min...Can Russell Teibert from 55 yards on far right chips long pass down wing and charging Can David Junior Hoilett gets
to pass just inside top right side of box and retreating Dom Kevin Lawrence clips him from behind. Referee Oscar Macias
awards Canada a Penalty kick.
17 min...Can Lucas Cavallini GOAL...Cavallini chips Penalty kick to top center of goal as goalie dives left.
18 min...Can Millar high cross from right has Can Hoilett at 15 yards in middle pop up header and goalie outmuscles Can David
to catch at 7 yards in middle of box.
23 min...Can Davies wins freekick on run down left while cutting to middle when bashed over by Dom Chad Bertrand.
24 min...Can Hoilett 22 yard freekick from left is around 6 man player wall but Dom Lawrence ducks head and ball deflects of him
at 12 yards in middle and flies wide right for cornerkick.
24 min...Can Osorio cornerkick from right is short to Can Teibert and wasted when passed out of box.
25 min...Can Teibert high cross from 28 yards on right has leaping Can Cavallini on left edge of 6 yard box heads ball across
to right and defender lets it bounce over end line.
26 min...Can Teibert cornerkick from right has Can James head ball forward from 12 yards but Dom Malcolm Joseph on goal line is able
to head ball away. Can Millar eventually gets ball on left and dekes two defenders and crosses from left edge of box and Dom Lockhart
heads behind end line from edge of 6 yard box.
26 min...Can Teibert cornerkick from right has leaping Can Cornelius in crowd of players at 8 yards on left not able to quite turn
header and ball out for goal kick.
27 min...Can David wins cornerkick on deflected shot from 15 yard shot from left.
27 min...Can Teibert cornerkick from right is headed away on right side of box for throw-in.
28 min...Can Davies 25 yard shot up middle is well over crowd of players and over net.
29 min...Dom Frederick 28 yard freekick from right has Can Cornelius head ball away in center of box at 15 yards.
30 min...Can Davies wins cornerkick on cross from 18 yards along left end line.
31 min...Can Osorio low cornerkick from left has Dom Malcolm Joseph on left side of box clear ball for throw-in on left.
32 min...Dom Chad Bertrand clears short cross from left away from Can David at 10 yards in center of box.
33 min...Can Davies run up left and low centering pass and Can David can't win Penalty kick on slide to clear ball by Dom Malcolm Joseph.
33 min...Can Davies cross from 30 yards has goalie fly right and forward to catch at 7 yards.
36 min...Can David pass on left is forward to Can Osorio who rescues ball on end line and 18 yard cross has defender chest ball from 8 yards
back to goalie.
37 min...Can Osorio pass to Can Davies wins cornerkick on deflection left.
37 min...Can players work out quick cornerkick from left but effort wasted as cleared on left edge of box.
37 min...Can Hoilett cross from just inside left side of box is unplayed with no Can in 6 yard box.
38 min...Dom Josley Prince is injured on bump at center line between Can Hutchinson and Can Teibert while jumping for header.
39 min...Dom Thomas 60 yard freekick from left is over head of Can Davies just inside right side of box and bounces for disputed goalkick.
39 min...Can Teibert taps pass and Can Cavallini blasts 12 yarder well over net up middle.
41 min...Can Millar low pass through obstacle course of players from right and Can Hoilett has 10 yard shot on left stopped
by sliding goalie at 3 yards on left post.
42 min...Can Hoilett rolls pass forward from 25 yards and right but too far forward for Can Teibert and out for Dom goalkick.
42 min...Can goalie runs to right to smother through ball pass ahead of Dom Javid George at 10 yards.
44 min...Can Davies low cross from just outside left side of box is unplayed. Can Teibert rescues ball on right and cross from 22 yards back
into box has defender in middle of box boot ball away.
45 min...half ends 7:55pm.

Halftime Entertainment: Tomasz Radzinski who was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame was presented with an award at center line.

Second Half:...starts 8:12pm.
Halftime sub:...Dom Fritz replaces Josley Prince.
45 min...Canada (Malcolm Joseph own goal) GOAL...Can Jonathan Osorio 25 yards from left is over head of charging
Can Russell Teibert at 8 yards and Dom goalie flies forward behind him to bat away at 7 yards. Can David Junior Hoilett
gets half shot from 12 yards up middle that bounces over diving goalie and hits left post. Retreating Joseph gets to ball
looking to put it wide of post and past Teibert waiting at 2 yards on post and ball deflects off his leg and rolls into left
side of net.
48 min...Can James wins freekick when pushed over in own end on left edge of box by Dom Lockhart.
49 min...Can Davies cross 25 yards from left is through Dom box unplayed. Dom Frederick is injured in box.
51 min...Can Millar low cross from 25 yards on right has Dom Malcolm Joseph concede cornerkick.
51 min...Can Teibert cornerkick from right has Can David pop up header on right side at 6 yards and ball is cleared up middle by defenders.
52 min...Can Osorio 15 yard shot from left has goalie catch wide left of net.
53 min...Can Teibert cornerkick from right has goalie on right post punch ball away. Can Millar blasts shot over net from 22 yards on left.
54 min...Can sub...Larin replaces Cavallini.
.........Can sub...Tabla replaces David.
55 min...Dom Thomas cross from left side just outside box has defender chest ball down and clear.
56 min...Can Tabla has deflected goal called back for offside when Can Davies heads ball back to him from 7 yards.
58 min...Can Tabla runs into left side of Dom box and rolls centering pass that defenders clear just inside 6 yard box.
58 min...Can YELLOW card...Millar earns it for injurying Dom Thomas in Dom box. Thomas needs trainer.
60 min...Can Davies short centering pass near left end line has Can Larin take 6 yard shot that deflects off retreating
Dom Malcolm Joseph and deflect back off Larin and over end line for goalkick.
62 min...Can Davies give and go on left with Can Tabla but pass to Davies is over end line.
63 min...Can Davies low 15 yard shot off Dom Javid George wins cornerkick on left.
64 min...Can players quick cornerkick from left is worked and wasted as ball is not crossed into box.
65 min...Can Millar cross from 25 yards on far right has Dom Javid George head ball back to goalie and Can Hoilett intercepts
and heads wide wide left from 6 yards.
66 min...Can sub...Brault-Guillard replaces Millar.
66 min...Dom Fritz 45 yard freekick deflects off defender and back for goalie to grab.
68 min...Can Tabla cross from 25 yards on far left is off upraised foot of Dom Euclid Bertrand at 8 yards and back to goalie.
68 min...Can Osorio cross from left near end line has Dom Euclid Bertrand pop up header and goalie punches ball out right side of box.
70 min...Dom Wade is squeezed off ball by three retreating defenders at 22 yards but wins cornerkick on right.
71 min...Dom Fritz cornerkick from right has Dom Thomas even with left post head 10 yarder forward and over net.
71 min...Dom sub...Travist Joseph replaces Frederick.
72 min...Can Larin receives pass on left side of Dom box but doesn't get away shot.
73 min...Can Davies short pass is rolled too far forward for Can Osorio and over end line on left.
74 min...Can Osorio receives short 12 yard backheeled pass from Can Tabla and takes low shot from 8 yards on left that's saved
by sprawling goalie.
75 min...Can Osorio centers pass to Can Tabla who spins and shoots 12 yarder on left wide left of net.
77 min...Can James long chip from 60 yards has goalie out to 15 yards to beat Can Larin to bouncer.
78 min...Can Osorio chips 25 yarder just over head of leaping Can Teibert at 8 yards and ball bounces out for goalkick.
80 min...Canada Cyle Larin GOAL...Can Jonathan Osorio at 25 yards in middle passes to left edge of box for Can Alphonso Davies
who sends low bouncing cross from 9 yard line into 6 yard box and charging Larin in alignment with left post and ahead
of retreating Dom Malcolm Joseph jabs at ball with foot sending it forward to left side of net over goalie diving right
expecting to catch on second bounce.
81 min...Can Hutchinson from center circle chips long cross forward for Can Brault-Guillard on right at 20 yards who takes
a few steps to control ball then chips 7 yarder from right that's over net. Dom goalie slid into Brault-Guillard and is hurt
on play and needs trainer.
84 min...Can Brault-Guillard cross from 20 yards on right has defender in middle of box head forward and out of box.
86 min...Can Osorio low cross from 15 yards on left is deflected back to him by defender and 15 yard header is also cleared.
86 min...Can Teibert wins cornerkick on deflected shot from 25 yards on left.
87 min...Can players quickly take cornerkick from left pass and Can Tabla receives pass and 12 yard cross from near left end line
is over players in box and Dom Lockhart heads away on right edge of 6 yard box.
88 min...Dom sub...Jervier replaces Wade.
92 min...Can Hoilett low 28 yard shot up middle is smothered by goalie.
92 min...game ends 8:59pm.

Final Score:...Canada.....5......Dominica.....0....

Attendance was announced as 10523. While we were waiting for the press conference to start, we were
informed that this was the largest attendance so far for any CONCACAF Nations League match. The
weather got colder as the game wore on. Parkas were required. Although I was inside to watch, I
appreciated my clothing choice waiting for the streetcar to get out of the grounds. I noticed
players of Dominica were wearing gloves during their warmups but then so were some of the Canadians.

Canada put out a very young lineup and capped three players. Making his first appearance was goalie
Alesaandro Busti who had almost nothing to do the whole game. Defender Zacary Brault-Guillard came
in at 65 minutes. Most important first capper was Ballou Tabla at 53 minutes as he had been
rumoured until a month ago of possibly playing for Ivory Coast as he was born there. He now plays
on the 'B' team of the Spanish giants Barcelona so a Canadian commitment is considered a real coup.

Only two players were listed as defenders for Canada. Manjrekar James and Derek Cornelius were central
backs while Liam Millar and Alphonso Davies were listed as corner backs but spent most of their time
racing up the wings. It was defensive midfielder Atiba Hutchinson who was most likely to come back and
help out with the few dangers that Dominica posed. Hutchinson wore the captain's armband tonight
despite the press clips of him passing the torch to Scott Arfield except that Arfield had been injured
last week and did not play at all.

Canada had beaten Dominica 4-0 here in World Cup qualifying on June 16, 2015 to win their aggregate 6-0.
Cyle Larin had scored in that game, Tosaint Ricketts had two (he did not play tonight) and Tesho
Akindele scored at 3 minutes! (he wasn't here tonight). David Edgar had a Penalty kick saved.
It was asked about Lucas Cavallini's Penalty kick chip tonight and he said he'd got a video and some
advice from a friend that the goalie always dove (which was true but he dove the opposite side from 2015)
so send it down the middle and it worked. Attendance that night was 'only' 9749 but that was a
much warmer time of year so tonight was an improvement.

The officials were all from Mexico and only gave out one Yellow all night and that was to Liam Millar
at 58 minutes for a tackle in the Dominican box that injured Briel Thomas.

The game started off great with three goals for Canada in the first 17 minutes but stalled out there
for the rest of the half. An early second half own goal increased their lead but the scoring chances
slowed down until one at 80 minutes. There was no chance of them losing after the quick start but
goals count in placement in the tourney so it would be great if they counted more. The players
and the coach after the game mentioned their wish to score more goals too.

Lucas Cavallini in the open shooting a 12 yarder well over the bar at 39 minutes and at 65 minutes
when a Dominican defender headed the ball back to his goalie and Junior Hoilett headed the ball wide
left from 6 yards were two of the easiest attempts that Canada failed to capitalize on.

Before the game there was a presentation for Canadian U-17 player of the year to Alphonso Davies
and Player of the Year to Atiba Hutchinson.

At halftime Tomasz Radzinski who will be honoured at an awards dinner for entrance to the
Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame was given an award. I had brought my old North York Rockets
jersey that I bought in 1989 when he played for that team. A CSA official asked me and
some of the staff if anyone had a Sharpie marker as he'd ask Radzinski to autograph
the jersey for me. I didn't expect that but I wanted to meet Tomasz. I don't remember
him that long ago being partictularily outstanding at age 18 for just the one year playing
for the Rockets although I can remember many moments from that team. I remember continueing
to follow his career in Belgium and whenever he played for the Canadian national team.
After the onfield ceremony he then came up to the broadcast booth to do some commentary.
I thought I'd much rather have a picture of us with the Rockets jersey and my York 9 scarf
as being great bookends of the original CSL and the new Canadian Premier League. I didn't
want to leave my spot taking notes in the press room and by the time I checked again
at the 60 minute mark he had left. I still watch his younger brother Jaroslaw play
in League 1 Ontario for North Mississauga Panthers SC. The coach uses Jarred's energenic
efforts at age 40 to shame his teenage players into playing better.

Candace Chapman was named as the female player elected to the Hall of Fame. I saw an
onfield presentation for her while in Hamilton this spring to watch Canada vs Germany.
I watched her for years on Toronto Lady Lynx.

Canada is playing in a 34 team single table CONCACAF Nations League qualifying set of games.
They have to finish tenth or better to earn a spot in the Gold Cup next year. They have to
finish in the top six to join the best six teams (those that were in the last CONCACAF World Cup Hex)
in Group A. Finishing between 7 to 10 would mean a Gold Cup spot but in Group B and join
the 11th to 22nd teams. The 23rd to 34th place teams will be in Group C.

Canada had won their first game against the US Virgin Islands 8-0. Canada was only 4th in the
table as some teams had beaten games by greater scores. Canada was the last team to play
its second game and found 21 teams now had at least 3 points and they were now down to 12th in the
rankings. They were playing the 22nd place team tonight as Dominica had tied their first game
0-0 against Surinam.

After tonight's result Canada has 6 points but 10 teams do. Canada is now ranked 3rd on goal
differential with Cuba at +13. Curacao leads the group with +15 after 10-0 and 5-0 wins over
Grenada at home then the US Virgin Islands away. Haiti is 2nd at +14.

Canada's next game is Sunday November 18th away against St Kitts & Nevis and finishes off at home
on Tuesday March 26th against French Guiana. It has not been announced what Canadian city will
host but the rumours are that it will be Toronto again because of Toronto's location re biggest
airport, the media availability, and stadium set up. This stadium is officially called 'Canada's
National Team Stadium' (not BMO Field) and had not hosted a game this year.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

Alphonso Davies presented with U-17 Player of the Year award.