Men's National Team

1 - 0

Cuba

George Town, Cayman Islands | Truman Bodden Sports Complex

Attendance: 420

Liam Millar
Alphonso Davies

79'
Derek Cornelius
Cyle Larin

61'
CAN MNT ejection to Doneil Henry Doneil Henry

55'
CAN MNT caution to Doneil Henry Doneil Henry

55'
Jonathan Osorio
David Wotherspoon

52'
CAN MNT caution to Doneil Henry Doneil Henry

31'
25'

Cuba caution to Player Carded
CAN MNT goal by Alphonso Davies (assist by Goal Scorer)))))) Alphonso Davies

9'

Timeline

Men's National Team

KO

KO
9 ' | Alphonso Davies
25 ' |
31 ' | Doneil Henry
HT

HT
52 ' | Jonathan Osorio - David Wotherspoon
55 ' | Doneil Henry
55 ' | Doneil Henry
61 ' | Derek Cornelius - Cyle Larin
79 ' | Liam Millar - Alphonso Davies
FT

FT

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Cuba

Match Report

Canada beat Cuba for the second-consecutive match in League A of 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League, this time an away 1:0 victory after playing more than half an hour with one less player on the pitch. Alphonso Davies scored the lone goal, goalkeeper Milan Borjan posted his 20th career clean sheet, and Doneil Henry was issued a red card after being cautioned twice in the Tuesday 10 September competitive match.

Ten-man Canada defended their 1-0 lead for 35 minutes, the longest Canada has had to defend such a lead with one fewer player in a Men’s National Team competitive match. Seven years ago, Canada defended a 1-0 lead for 26 minutes in an away FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match against Cuba after a Lars Hirschfeld ejection.

With the Davies goal on Tuesday night, Canada set their Men’s National Team records for goals in a season (25) and consecutive matches with at least one goal (11 matches). For teenager Davies, it was his fourth career goal, albeit his first since the 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup.

CANADA’S VICTORY:

Davies goal was scored in the ninth minute on a sequence that started with a Mark-Anthony Kaye turnover. The ball moved forward with Cyle Larin, was played forward to David Wotherspoon and cleared by a sliding Yosiel Piedra, but then fell into the pathway of the onrushing Davies. Davies fired his left-footed shot into the top corner of the net from inside the box.

While Canada did not score again, they improved throughout the match and were the better team with 10 men in the second half.

Borjan made two saves in the victory, while Cuba also hit the post in the early moments of the game. With the win, Borjan set the Men’s National Team record for shutout victories in a single year (four shutout wins).

BY THE NUMBERS:

Canada’s statistical leaders were Cyle Larin with three shots, Will Johnson with 109 passes completed, and Alphonso Davies with three steals. Behind Johnson were Samuel Adekugbe with 103 passes completed and Steven Vitória with 94 passes completed. Canada fired six shots, connected for 696 of 759 pass attempts (92%), won eight steals, and held 82% possession over Cuba.

LINEUPS & NOTES:

Canada’s starting lineup featured Milan Borjan in goal, Richie Laryea at right back, Doneil Henry and Steven Vitória at centre back, Samuel Adekugbe at left back, and Jonathan David, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Cyle Larin, David Wotherspoon and Alphons Davies from the midfield up through to the attack. In the second half, coach John Herdman replaced Wotherspoon with Jonathan Osorio (52’), Larin with Derek Cornelius (61’, briefly after the Henry ejection), and Davies with Liam Millar (79’). Goalkeeper Borjan wore the captain’s armband for the first time.

Referee Mario Escobar cautioned Cuba’s Karel Espino in the 25th minute and then Canada’s Doneil Henry in the 31st and 55th minutes.

Cuba’s starting XI featured Nelson Johnston in goal, Karel Espino at right back, Yosel Piedra and Erick Rizo at centre back, Dariel Morejón at left back, Jean Carlos Rodríguez, Randys Revé, Rolando Abreu and Arichel Hernández at midfield, and Manuel Cruz and Maykel Reyes up front. In the second half, coach Pablo Elier Sánchez replaced Morejón with Dario Ramos (72’), Reyes with Lázaro Monzón (79’), and Rodríguez with José Armelo (82’).

The match was played in front of 420 fans at Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town, Cayman Islands. Originally scheduled for Pedro Marrero Stadium in Habana, Cuba, Concacaf moved the match after it determined Cuba’s home stadium did not meet the minimum requirements to host a League A match.