This Day in Football from 20-26 August

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 29 August 1972
Canada plays and wins its first FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match played in St. John’s, NL, a 3:2 victory over USA at King George V Park. Johnson scores the winning goal with a scissor kick. Jimmy Douglas, Dick Howard, Glen Johnson, Brian Robinson and Bruce Twamley all make their debuts for Canada. Neil Ellett and Buzz Parsons, each with 12 games experience at the “B” level, also make their debuts for Canada at the international “A” level.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 20 August 2008
Canada draws 1:1 with Jamaica in a FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match in Toronto. Pat Onstad makes his 57th appearance to set the national record for goalkeepers (one more than Craig Forrest who retired after 56 appearances).

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 22 August 1986
Canada wins 6:0 over 10-man Antigua at the 1986 CONCACAF Men’s Under-19 Championship in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. James Grimes (three), Domenic Mobilio (two) and Burke Kaiser score for Canada.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 23 August 1992
Canada qualifies for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Japan 1993 with a 0:0 draw against Mexico at the 1992 CONCACAF Men’s Under-17 Championship. Goalkeeper Joe Ciaravino posts his fifth clean sheet in six matches (only one goal conceded with a record of four wins, one draw and one loss).

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 24 August 1971
Canada wins 1:0 over Mexico in a Men’s Olympic Qualification match at Empire Stadium in Vancouver, BC. Neil Ellett scores the lone goal on a header in the 74th minute.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 24 August 1986
Canada wins 1:0 over Singapore in the Merlion Cup. Igor Vrablic scores the lone goal of the match. It marks Canada’s first victory against an Asian nation at the international “A” level. Lyndon Hooper and teenager Alex Bunbury make their debuts for Canada.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 25 August 1979
Canada takes part in its first-ever FIFA event, the FIFA World Youth Championship (today known as the FIFA U-20 World Cup). Canada also posts its first win by a score of 3:1 over Portugal. Branko Segota (two) and Lajos Nagy score for Canada.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 25 August 1985
Canada wins 1:0 over Honduras in a FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match in Tegucigalpa. The match is played in front of 37,000 fans as Canada defeats Honduras for the first time in an international match. Substitute George Pakos scores the lone goal of the match (60th minute) while Tino Lettieri posts the clean sheet. Canada will qualify for the 1986 FIFA World Cup with a home victory over Honduras less than three weeks later.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 25 August 2002
Canada wins 6:2 at the inaugural FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2002 (then known as the FIFA U-19 Women’s Championship). Christine Sinclair scores five goals for Canada.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 26 August 2006
Canada wins 1:0 over France in an away Women’s International Friendly match in Rouen. Christine Sinclair scores the lone goal of the match. Amy Walsh becomes the sixth player to make her 75th appearance for Canada.