Facing the CONCACAF powerhouse United States in a friendly at BMO Field Sunday night, the Canadians adopted a defence-first stance, at times packing 10 men behind the ball.
The counter-attack goal never materialized, but the Canadians did create some scoring chances and, most importantly, kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw before 15,247 fans.
“Obviously, we look back and we could have came out with three points, a win, but in all fairness I think we played well, we stuck to the game plan,” said Dwayne De Rosario, who set up a glorious chance for Simeon Jackson a minute into second-half stoppage time but watched the Norwich City striker put it wide of an open net from the goalmouth.
“Defensively, we were solid and we were able to create chances and that was our goal.
“It was a great tune-up, a great opportunity to see where we’re at and a great preparation match against a very talented U.S. team,” said the Canadian veteran.
Canada, ranked 75th in the world, opens the third round of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in the heat of Havana against No. 136 Cuba on Friday afternoon. Drawn in a group that also includes Panama (52nd) and Honduras (61st), the Canadians need to finish first or second to advance to the fourth and final round, which happens in 2013.
And the style of play against the U.S., the 29th-ranked team in the world and, along with Mexico the class of the CONCACAF region, was clearly their blueprint for advancing.
“I just felt that the team was resilient and I think that’s the most important thing,” said captain Kevin McKenna. “In the last couple of games we haven’t been hard to beat.
“Obviously, we need to score goals but if you’re hard to beat and the game’s close, I think we have the quality up front that it will come.”
The U.S. dominated the first half in terms of both possession and scoring chances. But after the break the Canadians did a better job on the counter-attack and nearly notched their first win against the Americans since a 2-0 victory in Vancouver in 1985.
That win, 15 games ago, was a year before Canada’s only World Cup appearance.
But after Jackson had his chance at the winner, Canadian goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld made a great diving stop off a Clarence Goodson header to keep the game scoreless.
“I’m not sure what happened myself actually,” Hirschfeld said of the game-saving stop. “It was one of those ones where it comes in and it’s a reaction thing.”
Hirschfeld said given how little the Canadians play together, it’s key that they “keep it solid in the back, keep it well structured” and wait for their chances to come.
“Everything we’re doing right now is preparation for the next game,” he said.
Canadian coach Stephen Hart said he was happy his team showed “good discipline, good organization” but they needed to show more composure going forward.
“I thought we were a little bit hasty, especially on the counter-attack,” he said. “Our final pass wasn’t decisive enough or sometimes it was a little bit short.”
U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, whose side hosts Antigua and Barbuda on Friday in Tampa, Fla., to open its third round of qualifying for Brazil 2014, said he thought the result was fair.
“Canada did a better job in the second half opening it up and coming hard and playing their own game a little bit,” he said. “In the first half, they sat back and reacted to what we were doing.”
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