Canada blows big opportunity to beat US on Matchday 2
Kraig Chiles broke a 2-2 tie in the 33rd minute to lift the United States to a 3-2 Group A victory over Canada in 2012 CONCACAF Championship at Domo Polideportivo on Tuesday night.
Courtesy of CONCACAF.com
United States 3, Canada 2
US puts one past Canada in the 2nd half
The win kept the Americans’ chances of qualifying for the 2012 FIFA Futsal Championship alive after they dropped a 5-2 decision to Panama on Monday night.
The Canadians’ second loss in as many games put them on the verge of elimination.
Canada grabbed a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute as a Bruno Xavier free kick deflected off of the foot of a U.S. defender and into the net past U.S. goalkeeper Danny Waltman.
The Canadian captain, however, would not see the end of the opening half as he was forced from the match with a lower left leg injury at 15:40. Xavier returned to action in the second half.
The Americans equalized in the 17th minute. Machel Millwood sent a cross from the left corner into the penalty area. Chiles fired a close-range attempt that a defender managed to block. The rebound, however, went straight to Patrick Healey, who slotted it into the net past keeper Roy Blance for a 1-1 tie.
In the opening minute of the second half, Healey turned playmaker as he and Bryan Perez found themselves on a quick counterattack. Healey slipped the ball to Perez, who fired from the top left edge of the penalty area to register his second goal of the tournament.
The Canadians, however, countered with an equalizer of their own in the 31st minute as Matthew Stewart tallied from the right side of the area for a 2-2 deadlock.
Chiles restored the lead for the U.S. at 3-2 with a left-footed blast from outside the left side of the penalty area in the 33rd minute.
Canada came close to knotting up the game at 37:53 as Ian Bennett, trying to take advantage of a quick free kick, sent a close-range shot over the net.
Most of the final two minutes was played in the Americans’ end as Canada desperately tried for the equalizer. The Canadians took shot after shot at the U.S. goal as their best opportunity came with 15.6 seconds remaining, but Waltman managed to knock away Daniel Chamale’s close-range attempt.
The U.S. will meet Guatemala in their final group match on Wednesday night, while Canada plays Panama.
Leave a reply
Futsal Canada exists to help grow the sport of Futsal in Canada, through resource sharing, running tournaments and events, and lobbying for increased funding for, support for, and recognition of the sport at the educational, amateur, and professional levels.
