Canada Makes Most of a Chance
It was supposed to be two games and out and thanks for stopping by, Canada. Gold Cup 2000 had no real need for the Canadians--a no-chance qualifier with a decimated midfield--once they had served their purpose and provided first-round fodder for Costa Rica and South Korea.
They aren’t much to look at, and they put no shots on goal Tuesday night, but the Canadians haven’t checked out of their Southern California hotel yet--again stubbornly refusing to lose to remain undefeated in Group D, this time wrestling South Korea to a 0-0 draw before 23,621 at the Coliseum.
Coupled with Sunday’s come-from-behind 2-2 draw with Costa Rica, the Canadians, surprisingly, are undefeated after their two group games--and, barring an unlikely 3-3 tie between Costa Rica and South Korea on Thursday, will advance to the Gold Cup quarterfinals.
Playing without three of its regular midfielders, Canada dug in defensively and frustrated a faster and more skilled Korean team for 90 minutes of rope-a-dope soccer. South Korea outshot Canada, 13-3, and put five shots on net to zero for Canada--but managed nothing more than a point in the standings and the heady assignment of having to defeat Costa Rica Thursday to advance to the next round.
In Tuesday’s second game, Trinidad and Tobago defeated Guatemala, 4-2, behind the play of striker Dwight Yorke, who assisted on David Nakhid’s tiebreaking goal in the 52nd minute and scored the final goal in the 83rd minute. The victory evened Trinidad’s Gold Cup record at 1-1 and kept alive its hope of advancing from Group C.
Trinidad, a 4-0 loser to Mexico in its opener, will move to the second round if Mexico beats Guatemala at the Coliseum Thursday.
Canada (0-0-2) opted for the pragmatic approach against South Korea--circle the defenders around big goalkeeper Craig Forrest, creating a forest around the tree, so to speak--and the Koreans, with their preference for a precise possession passing game, played right into the Canadians’ hands.
“We knew they’d be very quick and skillful,” Canada captain Jason deVos said of the Koreans, “but we also knew they weren’t nearly as creative as Costa Rica. So we were pretty confident we could keep a clean sheet--and we did.
“We were playing with a makeshift midfield, but I’m very disappointed we didn’t create more scoring opportunities. That’s something we’re going to have to get together and work on.”
Canada Coach Holger Osieck called it “a very demanding match for our team, two days after a very difficult match against Costa Rica.”
Costa Rica (0-0-1) and South Korea (0-0-1) are tied with one point apiece. A victory by either team would move the winner into the quarterfinals along with Canada.
