20.6.2008 - CAN 4:1 VIN
FIFA World Cup™ Qualifiers
| |
| Location: | Montréal, QC |
| Stadium: | Stade Saputo |
| Attendance: | 11502 |
| Kickoff: | 00:00 |
| Broadcast: | Rogers Sportsnet |
| Match Tracker: | SCORE FINAL |
| |
| |
| Canada: | MNT CAN |
| Opponent: | VIN (St. Vincent & the Grenadines) |
|
| | | |
Four big goals had the home crowd hopping as Canada eliminated Saint Vincent & the Grenadines with a 4:1 victory in Montréal. Ali Gerba and Dwayne De Rosario each scored a pair of goals as Canada advanced to Stage III of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Qualifiers.
In what was the first-ever FIFA World Cup Qualifiers™ match played in Montréal, Canada had strong support from start to finish from the partisan crowd. After a short pre-match rainfall, a rainbow and blue sky came out as the kickoff setting for some 11,502 fans in attendance.
Twenty minutes into the match, Canada started to find its groove on the pitch. The team had a chance in the 22nd minute as the ball crossed the goal line and resulted in Canada's first corner. Five minutes later, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines had a free kick at the top of the box, but Canada's wall was up for the block.
At last in the 29th minute, Canada found the back of the net. Tomasz Radzinski touched the ball up to De Rosario who danced three times before firing the ball into the back of the net.
From there, Canada turned it on for the remainder of the half. In the 38th minute, a De Rosario run and cross found the head of Gerba who gave the Canucks a 2-0 lead over the visitors.
In the second half, Canada had more for its home crowd. First, it was De Rosario in the 50th minute and then it was Gerba in the 63rd minute. The only consolation for Saint Vincent & the Grenadines came in the 76th minute - Marlon James erased the Canadian clean sheet.
De Rosario was the man of the match for Canada while Wesley Charles was the man of the match for Saint Vincent & the Grenadines. De Rosario moved into third place on the Canadian list with six career goals in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers™. He is fourth all-time with 15 goals in all senior "A" matches.
Gerba has counted four goals in the last two games for Canada. He has 9 goals in senior "A" matches.
Captain Paul Stalteri, meanwhile, won his 67th career cap, moving into a tie for third place on the all-time list. Goalkeeper Pat Onstad won his 55th cap, tying him for 11th on the all-time list with current coach and former player Dale Mitchell. | | |
|
