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The Good
The Canadian National Team took on their archrivals – namely the United States – and besides the score, Canada did have moments of impressive play. Firstly, credit must go to a couple players; Josh Simpson had moments of inspired play, his blazing runs getting past Cherundulo on a couple of occasions. The Canadian winger played smart on the left, cutting in at times to supplement the forward and allowing Dwayne De Rosario the chance to roam from mid-to-left. Speaking of, De Rosario once again had a very trademark game, the kind of game the Voyageurs – who, it’s worth noting, were out in full force and with full voice – have grown accustomed to, or at least, the Toronto FC faction within. A quiet display, highlighted by the occasional menacing shot sees Dwayne De Rosario come as close to a goal for Canada as anyone else. Ali Gerba, coming off the bench, also enjoyed a couple key chances, but ultimately couldn’t capitalize. Finally, Atiba Hutchinson enjoyed the kind of game Julian de Guzman would do well to learn from for his play in Toronto; the midfielder looked for space constantly in order to relieve pressure from the defense, and then distributed with equal efficiency.
Individual merits aside, Team Canada also exhibited some quality play as well; early possession-style football saw creation from the back, and kept the United States at bay for certain stretches in the first half. The wingback-to-winger transition was also generally smooth, specifically on the left flank which saw Josh Simpson with plenty of supply from Marcel De Jong. All in all, not the worst performance for Canada, but one they will definitely use to move forward in the Gold Cup.
The Bad
As far as the Canadian national team goes, a couple key areas were exposed yesterday, which ultimately saw the boys in Red to drop 3 points in the group stage. First, possession was all but lost as the game progressed, and the United States were given too much time on the ball during the late-first half and early-second half. At times, the formation broke down as well, leaving gaping holes between the midfield and the defense; Terry Dunfield cannot be solely responsible for defensive duties, but with an offensive-minded midfield comprised of De Rosario, Simpson, Johnson and the attacking midfield Hutchinson, Dunfield took the role of defensive midfielder – a role he does not regularly play for Vancouver.
Speaking of formation, the key failure in offense came because of the 4-5-1 style that Canada utilized. Early in the game, Simeon Jackson’s pace and strength were matched by the defensive work of US tandem Tim Ream and Clarence Goodson. Rather than adjust, Canada spent much of the first half sending the ball straight to the feet of Jackson, who was closed down rather easily and lost possession. This went on until the introduction of Ali Gerba, which saw the US defense spread out a bit more, allowing players like Simpson and De Rosario the kind of space and options necessary for successful offense.
Finally, 3 dropped points and no goals scored means that Canada’s next two games are must wins, if a guaranteed spot is to be claimed; 6 points had always been enough to get through to the next round in a 4-team group stage, so positive results against Panama and Guatemala are now the top priority for Stephan Hart’s side.
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The Ugly
A soft, completely saveable goal was given up by Lars Hirschfeld, allowing Jozy Altidore to celebrate his first goal of the campaign, and the USA’s first goal against their neighbours up north in the Gold Cup. Reminiscent of Rob Green’s mental lapse during the 2010 World Cup, Hirschfeld coughed up a very manageable shot and negated the positive play Canada had been displaying up till that point.
Wrapping things up, the only really ugly element of this game was that it was once again a loss to the United States, a derby-match which Canada is yearning to win, if not solely to make up for controversies in years past (we’re looking at you, 2007). Stronger formation and smarter football is necessary now, if Canada’s dreams of Gold Cup glory are to come to fruition.
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