Key Takeaways:
- The Canadian soccer team won their fifth consecutive World Cup qualifying match on Sunday afternoon in Hamilton, defeating the United States 2-0.
- The top three teams will be guaranteed a spot in the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar beginning in November.
After defeating the United States 2-0 in Hamilton on Sunday afternoon, the Canadian soccer team won their fifth consecutive World Cup qualifying match.
The temperature was minus 6 degrees Celsius at kickoff, with the wind chill making it feel like minus 11 degrees.
In the seventh minute, Cyle Larin brought the 12,000-strong crowd at Tim Hortons Field to their feet by slamming a right-footed strike into the left side of the goal past American goalkeeper Matt Turner.
Larin’s goal seemed to be his 23rd for the Canadian national squad, breaking the previous record of Dwayne De Rosario.
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Milan Borjan, a Canadian goalkeeper, born in the former Yugoslavia and raised in Hamilton, made a spectacular save in the 43rd minute, swatting away a headed ball by American Weston McKinnie to keep the home team’s one-goal lead.
Despite having the majority of possession, the eleventh-ranked Americans (5-3-2) could not break down Canada’s defensive scheme or keep up with the speed with which the Canadians transitioned.
In extra time, Samuel Adekugbe scored on a breakaway to put the game out of reach of a defenseless Turner.
With 22 points after ten games, Canada (6-4-0) is the only unbeaten team in the eight-team CONCACAF qualifying tournament.
The top three teams will receive an automatic berth in the 2022 World Cup, held in Qatar, starting in November.
Canada, which is currently ranked 40th, has only qualified for the FIFA World Cup once, in 1986.
Canada’s next match is in El Salvador on Wednesday night.
Source: Global News
