Canada, Mexico play to a 1-1 draw

A day after the U.S. tied Cuba, Mexico did the same with Canada.

The Canadians managed a 1-1 tie with favored Mexico in the opening round of qualifying for the Beijing Olympics on Thursday.

Fans of Mexico, who accounted for the majority of the 9,949 in attendance, voiced their displeasure by chanting “Lavolpe, Lavolpe” -- in reference to former national team coach Ricardo Lavolpe -- in the final seconds of the match at the Home Depot Center.

Canada, which featured seven Europe-based players in its starting lineup, took the lead three minutes into the match when Will Johnson put away a through ball from Andrazes Ornoch.

Johnson plays in Holland and Ornoch in Denmark.

The lead didn’t last long as Mexico tied it 20 minutes later on a penalty kick from Luis Angel Landin.

Mexico, which had 12 shots to Canada’s three, had one last chance to win it at the end, but goalkeeper Joshua Wagenaar pushed aside Edgar Castillo’s desperate attempt.

Neither of the game’s goal scorers finished the game as they were ejected on separate plays late in the second half. Both players will miss the next game, which is Friday. All qualifying games are being held at the Home Depot Center.

The ejections probably hurt Mexico more as it be without its best striker when it takes on Guatemala.

Mexico’s offense has been anemic of late, failing to score a goal of its own in four exhibition games leading to the qualifiers.

Guatemala took the early lead in the group standings by beating Haiti, 1-0, in the early game. Marvin Avila, who plays in Guatemala for Municipal, scored the winner in the 27th minute.

Avila, 22, seems to enjoy playing in Los Angeles, as he has scored four goals in his last four games played in L.A., including two against Mexico in October when Guatemala upset Mexico, 3-2, at the Coliseum.

Canada, which is tied with Mexico for second in the standings, will play Haiti on Friday.

jaime.cardenas@latimes.com