November 21, 2023...CONCACAF Nations League match Canada vs Jamaica game report (by Rocket Robin)

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

Result and details of the Tuesday November 21, 2023 CONCACAF Nations League match match between Canada and Jamaica
played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:00pm. This was the second leg of the Quarterfinal.

Canada (all red uniforms, white names and numbers)

.....................18 Milan Borjan (cpt)
2 Alistair Johnston...13 Derek Cornelius...4 Kamal Miller...22 Richie Laryea
.............7 Stephen Eustaquio...8 Ismael Kone...19 Alphonso Davies
............11 Tajon Buchanan...20 Jonathan David...17 Cyle Larin

Subs:...1 Dayne St Clair (gk)...16 Maxime Crepeau (gk)...3 Samuel Adekugbe (def)...5 Steven Vitoria (def)
...6 Samuel Piette (mid)...9 Jacen Russell-Rowe (fwd)...10 Junior Hoilett (fwd)...12 Luc De Fougerolles (def)
...14 Mark-Anthony Kaye (def)...15 Ali Ahmed (def)...21 Jonathan Osorio (mid)...23 Liam Miller (mid)
team officials:...head coach Mauro Biello...assistant coach Steven Caldwell...goalkeeper coach Paolo Ceccarelli
...physiotherapist Gregory Bay...doctor Dave Simon...kitman Spencer Ure

Jamaica (yellow/green/black hooped socks, green shorts, yellow shirts, black names and numbers)

............................1 Andre Blake (cpt)
2 Dexter Lembikisa...17 Damion Lowe...5 Ethan Pinnock...22 Gregory Leigh
10 Bobby Reid...8 Daniel Johnson..15 Joel Latibeaudiere...12 Demarai Gray
...................11 Shamar Nicholson...7 Leon Bailey

Subs:...13 Amal Knight (gk)...23 Jahmali Waite (gk)...3 Michael Hector (def)...4 Tayvon Gray (def)
...6 Di'shon Bernard (def)...9 Demario Phillips (mid)...14 Trivante Stewart (fwd)...16 Karoy Anderson (mid)
...18 Deshane Beckford (fwd)...19 Jonathan Russell (mid)...20 Romario Williams (fwd)...21 Javain Brown (def)
team officials:...head coach Helmir Hallgrimsson...assistant coach Merron Gordon...goalkeeper coach Gudmundur Hreidarsson
physiotherapist Kevin Christie...doctor Bersha Cole...physical trainer Lamar Morgan

Game officials:...referee Cesar Ramos...referee's assistants Albereto Morin and Marco Bisguerra
...fourth official...Adonai Escobedo (all from Mexico) (blue shirts, black shorts and socks)
...VAR Ismail Elfath AVAR 1 Kyel Atkins (both from USA)

First Half:...game starts 7:37pm...Canada defend north end on this wet and cold night.
25 sec...Can Laryea cross from left end line just inside box is blocked.
2 min...Can goalie catches high cross at 12 yards sent in by Jam Lowe from 30 yards on right.
6 min...Jam Demarai Gray wins freekick on left sideline tryint to deke Can Johnston and is pushed over.
7 min...Jam Johnson 35 yard freekick from left has Can Eustaquio at 10 yards pop header over net.
7 min...Jam Johnson cornerkick from left is cleared on short side.
8 min...Can Buchanan rushes up right and low cross from 25 yard line is between defenders and charging Can Larin slides
at 6 yards near left post and redirects but sprawling goalie saves at 1 yard line on left post.
10 min...Jam Pinnock long throw-in from near left end line has Can Johnston head away. Pinnock's low recross is also cleared.
11 min...Can Larin receives breakaway pass in middle at 30 yards and shot from 22 yards has goalie pushes wide of right post
but play was flagged offside.
12 min...Jam Johnson cross from right end line is over a few players. Jam Demarai Gray blasts low 22 yarder from left well
wide left of net.
13 min...Can Johnston sends in low cross from 25 yard line has Can Eustaquio stop ball at 10 yards on right side of the box
and with defender in his way backheels ball and another defender stops it but his clearance attempt is blocked by Can Eustaquio
and ball deflects to center of box and Can David taps pass at 8 yards over to left and Can Larin shoots low 8 yard shot that
goalie does splits to save and defenders clear.
14 min...Jam goalie collapses injured after play resumes upfield and needs trainer for leg injury.
17 min...play resumes with referee giving drop ball on edge of box.
19 min...Can Davies slips pass to Can Eustaquio who passes to middle but no Can players are there in box at 12 yards.
21 min...Jam Lowe makes key sliding block on Can Larin on right to prevent break down middle.
22 min...Jam Leigh rush on left wing and long cross is caught by goalie.
24 min...Canada Alphonso Davies GOAL...Can Ismael Kone runs down right and sends cross forward from 50 yard line
over to to players running down left. The ball appears to hit retreating defender and knocks forward to Can Richie Laryea
at 25 yard line and he rolls centering pass to charging Davies at 8 yards who shoots ball up middle that sprawling goalie
Andre Blake deflects upward at 15 yards. Ball drops and hits bottom of bar and bounces into net without Davies needing
to knee it in.
26 min...Jam goalie picks up ball knocked back to him on left end line.
28 min...Jam Reid high pass from 50 yards down middle to Jam Nicholson who was called offside on edge of box with his shot
blocked anyway.
30 min...Jam Bailey cutting to middle from right along 30 yard line rolls pass to Jam Demarai Gray just inside top left corner
of box. He waits and sends low cross along 10 yard line where Bailey slides and shoots ball forward up middle which goalie
smothers at 3 yards in center of goal.
30 min...Can goalie is out to edge of box to beat Jam Bailey to ball.
33 min...Can Laryea on give and go with Can Kone has Laryea run down left to 35 yards and rolls pass forward for Can Larin
at 10 yards but charging Jam goalie dives on it at 8 yards even with left post to prevent shot.
33 min...Jam Lembikisa cross from right is caught by goalie.
34 min...Can Davies rolls centering pass into box from left and Jam Lowe slides to tip it almost into own net but well wide right
for throw-in.
36 min...Can Eustaquio 30 yard freekick from left has Can Miller tip header from 6 yards but he can't turn it on his leap.
37 min...Jam Bailey rolls pass down left for Jam Nicholson on left end line and his low cross is caught by goalie.
42 min...Can has another delayed offside but Can Buchanan can't get away shot from 12 yards on right.
44 min...Jam Demarai Gray cross from top left of box has Jam Nicholson just miss on flying header at 6 yards up middle.
47 min...half ends 8:24pm.

Second Half: starts 8:40pm.
Halftime sub:...Jam Hector replaces Latibeaudiere.
45 min...Can Davies centers pass to Can David who has shot in center of box deflected for cornerkick.
46 min...Can Davies cornerkick from right is cleared in box after Can Buchanan header.
47 min...Jam Demarai Gray on run down left to left side of box and cuts in low cross along 8 yard line and Jam Nicholson
who has ran past ball lets it go on left post and Jam Bailey near right post shoots 8 yarder that hits bar in center of goal
and rebound is cleared on left.
48 min...Can Eustaquio gets back to tip ball away from Jam Bailey on run up right.
49 min...Jam Johnson cornerkick from right is through box.
49 min...Jam Reid weak shot up middle from 20 yards is between players and smothered by goalie.
51 min...Jam Hector high cross from 35 yards on right is caught by goalie in crowd of players.
51 min...Can Davies is checked off ball after long run up left into Jam box.
52 min...Jam YELLOW card...Nicholson earns it for bump on goalie who needs trainer.
55 min...play resumes.
56 min...Jam goalie gets away clearance while pursued by Can David.
57 min...Jam YELLOW card...Lowe earns it for sliding tackle on Can Eustaquio at Can 50 yard line.
59 min...Can Buchanan cross from right has Jam Hector head away in center giving up cornerkick.
59 min...Can Davies low cornerkick from right has Can David as nearest player to it on right side of box flick foot to tip ball
into 6 yard box and retreating Jam Lembikisa heads it forward and ball is cleared by another defender.
61 min...Jamaica Shamar Nicholson GOAL...Can Stephen Eustaquio has Jam Damion Lowe slide in from behind
and knock ball away at 25 yard line on left. Lowe gets up first and rolls centering ball to charging Nicholson
at 18 yards on slight left and he dribbles forward and in alignment with left post and blasts low 12 yard shot
to center of net over sliding goalie Milan Borjan at 5 yards.
62 min...Can Kone is injured by Jam Demarai Gray at Can 50 yard line.
65 min...Jam Shamar Nicholson GOAL...Can Ismael Kone is knocked over at Jam 35 yard line on left. Jam Bobby Reid
breaks forward and runs up left that becomes a 4 on 3 rush. Jam Demarai Gray receives pass at 30 yards and continues
upfield. He gets to 18 yards at top left corner of box and sends low centering cross around two retreating defenders
to charging Nicholson in alighment with right post to blast low 8 yarder over leg of sliding goalie to left corner of net.
67 min...Can Davies cross from 30 yards on left is just over head of charging Can Larin on right end line. Can Buchanan
wins corrnerkick on run in from right cornerflag along end line.
68 min...Canada Ismael Kone GOAL...Can Alphonso Davies cornerkick from right has Jam Gregory Leigh as nearest
defender on right side of box head away. Can Alistair Johnston gets to ball at 30 yards on right sideline before
Jam player and taps pass to Davies at 25 yards on right. Davies crosses ball from 18 yards line near sideline and Kone
on 6 yard line flicks backwards header from right post into open left side of net over goalie guarding right post.
72 min...Jam Lembikia cross into box has Can Miller head away from inside box for throw-in.
73 min...Csn sub...Osorio replaces Larin.
...........Can sub...Kaye replaces Kone.
...........Can sub...Hoilett replaces Buchanan.
74 min...Jam Lowe recovers ball dropping into right side of box after deflected cross. He crosses into center of box but ball hits
the arm of Can Eustaquio at 8 yard line near right edge of box. Referee Cesar Ramos calls penalty kick after long discussion.
76 min...Jam Johnson was holding the ball through the referee's discussion and looked like he was going to take the Penalty kick.
77 min...Jam Bobby Reid GOAL...Reid stutter steps run up and rolls Penalty kick into bottom right corner with goalie
frozen to center of net.
79 min...play resumes.
80 min...Can Davies run on left and cross into box is cleared. Can Johnston cross near right end line into 6 yard box is headed away.
81 min...Can David low weak 20 yard shot from slight right bounces for goalie to smother on near post.
82 min...Jam YELLOW card...Demarai Gray earns it for faking injury well away from play even getting stretcher bearers out
onto field before he gets up and waves them off.
83 min...Can sub...Millar replaces Johnston.
83 min...Jam RED card...Demarai Grey earns his second Yellow card within two minutes for kicking ball away after whistle*.
*A television commentator said it was for reentering the playing field after leaving for injury without being waved back on.
86 min...Can Millar gets header over crowd of players from 15 yards and goalie makes easy catch.
87 min...Can David receives cross from right and pops header from 8 yards in crowd of players over net.
87 min...Jam Bailey is finally allowed to be treated on field as he was still down at Can 35 yard line while play moved upfield
a minute earlier.
88 min...Can sub...Russell-Rowe replaces Eustaquio.
.........Jam sub...Bernard replaces injured Bailey who leaves on other side of field.
90 min...Can Millar receives pass from Can Hoilett and cuts in from left but his 20 yard shot is low and just wide left.
91 min...Can Davies can't deke two guys on left side of Jam box.
93 min...Can Laryea wins cornerkick on right when jostled by two Jam players.
93 min...Jam sub...Tayvon Gray replaces injured Leigh.
94 min...Can Davies cornerkick from right has goalie palm ball out left side of box. Can Hoilett takes 20 yard shot up middle
that's high over net.
96 min...Can Davies can't connect on slide for cross on left end line coming in from right.
96 min...Can Davies rolls cross along 6 yard line from left is cleared by defenders.
97 min...Can Russell-Rowe has 10 yard shot from left blocked. Can Cornelius had headed him pass. Can Davies cross from
left is headed away on edge of box.
98 min...Can Millar chips ball over net from right end line but he was offside anyway after frantic action in box.
99 min...game ends 9:34pm.

Final Score:....Canada......2......Jamaica......3.........
Series tied 4-4, Jamaica advances on the away goal rule.

Attendance was announced near the end of the game as 17588. That was pretty good for a game this time of the year when the weather especially at night would be bitterly cold. We had rain all day and quite hard too but nothing like what happened in Kingston Jamaica where the first leg was to be played on Friday night but was postponed hour by hour then eventually rescheduled for Saturday morning because of the grounds being flooded in calf deep water on the field. The field drained and the game was played the next day. Canada won 2-1 with a late goal earning the win for Canada for the first time in Jamaica since 1988...a few ties though.

Of course with a game on a weeknight in downtown Toronto starts off slow as people have to fight rush hour traffic to get here. The stands filled in by halftime. The second deck on the east was not occupied so the stands looked filled with gaps in some sections.

Playing the next day may have helped Canada because the crowd must hav been much less as not every ticket holder could stay overnight or be off work to come the next day. Actually the broadcast showed no fans but there was noise and we were assured that the fans that were there were on the cameras side of the field.

Canada had a 2-1 aggregate so those two away goals looked big. Jamaica had hit something like three goalposts on the Saturday morning and it would have been so easy for Jamaica to have won that first game. Would Canada's luck hold out? No! Tonight Jamaica wins in Canada for the first time ever to counter the Canadian win in Jamaica for the first time in 35 years!

Canada started off well with a strong first half and took a 1-0 lead on a Alphonso Davies knock in on a play that someone counted as involving 29 passes before the ball was in the net. Jamaican goalie Andre Blake was brilliant for them and held them in the game. He plays for Philadelphia Union and will probably play this weekend in their MLS quarterfinal game against FC Cincinnati.

Second half was a different story. Jamaica's Icelandic born coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said at the post match press conference that he moved defender Damion Lowe up to the midfield to fill in the center area and let forward Shamar Nicholson give a very emotional speech at halftime to get everyone going. Nicholson scored the lone Jamaican goal on Saturday morning. Nicholson hit the bar from 7 yards when a teammate let a low centering cross go by and let him shoot it. Nicholson took a Yellow card at 52 minutes for bashing into the Canadian goalie who needed the trainer. He then scored two goals in four minutes and that nullified the aggregate right there.

Ismael Kone flicked in a header at 68 mimutes to tie the game for Canada but Stephen Eustaquio was called for a hand ball at 74 minutes and after a long delay (for a VAR review?), Bobby Reid took the ball away from Daniel Johnson and took the Penalty kick scoring on a slow stutter-stepped filled run up and rolled it into the bottom right corner as he froze the goalie.

Canada were then desperate to score because they were now behind in not only the game but the away goal total. They were helped by Jamaican forward Demarai Gray drawing two Yellow cards at 82 and 85 minutes and the referee not falling for any (what he preceived as) faked injuries so there was a time Canada was playing 11 vs 9 as Leon Bailey was down in the Canadian end well away from play. A lot of chances for Canada but there was always a Jamaican player to block the shot.

The officiating crew were all from Mexico. I liked referee Cesar Ramos as he wasn't falling for the CONCACAF specialty of fake injuries and he allowed a lot of play-ons although they can be dangerous with players crashing together for a ball on plays that should have been stopped on delayed offside calls.

Canada two games ended with each team winning one game each and the goals for and against both on 4 but Jamaica wins the series on the Away Goal rule. Canada is eliminated from the CONCACAF Nations League at the quarter-final stage. This was also a qualifier for the Copa America which features the ten South American countries in their federation and this tourney with six CONCACAF invitees. The tourney will be held in the United States! Hmm something about testing the stadiums that will be used in the 2026 World Cup. Canada gets a second chance to qualify by playing a one-game playoff against one of the other quarter-final losers. I expected it would be Mexico as they were losing their series with Honduras but they ended up evening their series then winning on Penalty kicks. By my subway trip home, it had been decided it would be against Trinidad and Tobago one night in Texas USA in the month of March 2024.

Canada this series used a mostly veteran lineup to try to advance. That also must involve the uncertainty of new players and not giving them a chance as the team let a FIFA window go by without playing a game and the next window only playing one game instead of two like most countries.

I wonder if Canada could have got Heimir Hallgrimsson as head coach who was hired by Jamaica in September 2022? No of course not as Canada was just starting the World Cup with John Herdman. Jamaica was a wreck finishing near the bottom of the hex in qualifying and their last game in Toronto was the day that Canada qualified for that tournament winning 4-0. Anyway I liked the guy humbly saying after the game that this game was so important to Jamaica financially because the Copa will bring in much needed revenue for the 'poor' federation.

Canada has an interim head coach Mauro Biello who is campaigning for the permanent position but the delay with this vacancy is Canada has some other positions above that position to fill first!

Tonight is the last 'Soccer event' I expect to do this year. The Allstate Soccer Show was held in Calgary this year and CPL York United did not have a season ending party for season ticket holders for 2023 as they are spending their time trying to get new owners. This game bookends a season of me attending 75 games in the CPL for York United, MLS NEXT Pro for Toronto FC II, 41 games in League1 Ontario and four for the number of times the Canadian Men's and Women's national teams have played in Toronto. First game of the year was March 28th when Canada beating Honduras 4-1 at BMO Field in CONCACAF Nations League Group play.

Rocket Robin
robin.glover.1958@gmail.com
twitter @RocketRobin01

Canadian starters

Jamaica starters

Canada Jonathan David (20) takes opening kickoff.

Early action in the Jamaica box.

Canada Stephen Eustaquio (7) will take the freekick.

Jamaica Bobby Reid (10) takes second half kickoff.

Jamaica Bobby Reid (10) will take the Penalty kick.

Jamaica players and staff celebrate after the final whistle.

Full Time Stats (from FotMob) 

                           Canada      Jamaica    
Possession                   59%          41%  
Total shots                  17            8   
Chances created              17            9   
Big chances                   8            5
Accurate passes             423          271 
Pass success                 85%          77%
Fouls                         4           12  
Corner                        4            2   
Offsides                      7            1   
Total shots                  17            8  
Shots On                      4            3   
Shots off target              7            5   
Blocked shots                 6            0   
Shots woodwork                0            1   
Shots inside box             12            6   
Shots outside box             5            2   
Accurate passes             423           271  
Opposition half             200           114 
Own half                    223           157  
Passes                      498           350  
Pass success                 85%           77%  
Long balls                   50            66 
Accurate long balls          30            25  
Crosses                      22            14  
Accurate crosses              9             1  
Duels                        73            73  
Duels won                    39            34  
Duels lost                   34            39   
Dribbles attempted           20            10  
Dribbles succeeded           10             6  
Tackles attempted            15            15 
Tackles succeeded             8             7   
Aeriels won                   5            10 
Interceptions                 5            14  
Disipline:                    
Yellow cards                  0             3   
Red cards                     0             1   
Keeper saves                  2             5

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