Canada splits October series in Morocco

Canada has split their two-match October series following an 0:4 loss to Morocco in Marrakech. As part of the FIFA international window, Canada won 4:0 over Mauritania on Thursday 6 October before the Tuesday loss that included a pair of conceded penalties.

MATCH CENTRE – CANADA 0:4 MOROCCO

Canada will face Korea Republic in the next FIFA international window in November 2016. The match is scheduled for Friday 11 November.

Canada dropped their 11 October match at the Grand Stade de Marrakech. The hosts scored once with a man advantage in the first half, but then added a pair of penalty strikes plus a late volley from inside the box in the second half.

Canada had a pair of good chances in between the two penalties, but a Jonathan Osorio chance in all alone was saved by the goalkeeper and a Marco Bustos shot was tipped over the bar.

Down 0-2, Canada were forced to make a goalkeeper switch after an injury to Milan Borjan. The starter had made a pair of good saves on Hakim Ziyech and Fouad Chafik in the first half.

“These are the matches from which we need to learn and continue to improve,” said Michael Findlay, Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team Interim Head Coach. “Playing away from home, in front of an away crowd and against a quality team like Morocco: these are the kind of tests in which we need to continue improve and grow as a team.”

Key moments of the match

12′ – Goal by Mehdi Carcela – From down the left side, a Hamza Mendyl cross misses marked man Youssef En Nsery, but falls to unmarked Carcela who buries it with a half volley from inside the box. Canada were playing with a man down while Marcus Haber received treatment to a cut on his face from an earlier collision.

65′ – Penalty and goal by Hakim Ziyech – Referee Hassan Abdulla Hassan judges a foul on David Edgar inside the box. Ziyech scores with a Panenka with a chip shot right down the middle.

72′ – Goalkeeper Milan Borjan injured – Borjan is injured and replaced by Simon Thomas.

74′ – Jonathan Osorio chance on Yassine Bounou – Maxim Tissot hurries his opponent into a turnover that Osorio collects on the run. In alone, Osorio tries to chip the ball over the approaching goalkeeper, but Bounou makes the big save.

78′ – Marco Bustos shot tipped over the crossbar – From the top of the box, Marco Bustos fires a shot that is tipped over the crossbar by the goalkeeper.

79′ – Simon Thomas save on Aziz Bouhaddouz – Moroccan substitute breaks free for the first big test on substitute goalkeeper Simon Thomas, but Bouhaddouz is stopped by the Canadian.

81′ – Penalty and goal by Hakim Ziyech – Manjrekar James commits a foul in the penalty area after which referee Abdulla Hassan points to the spot. Ziyech again shoots down the middle.

87′ – Goal by Rachid Alioui – Faycal Fajr plays the give and go down the left side before sending a cross into the box. Alioui smashes his shot that deflect off Edgar and beyond a helpless Thomas.

November’s international window

Canada will face Korea Republic during the November window on the FIFA international calendar. The Friday 11 November match will kick off at 20.00 local (07.00 ET / 04.00 PT) at Cheonan Baekseok Stadium. Further details on the camp and squad will be announced in early November.

Korea Republic are hosts to next year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017. Their Men’s National Team is currently taking part in FIFA World Cup Qualifies, with recently a 3:2 win over Qatar and an 0:1 loss to Iran during the October window.

Canada and Korea Republic have faced each other five times between 1985 and 2002. The matchup is even between the two nations, with two wins each and a draw.

Over the last two years, Canada have posted a record of nine wins, seven draws, and seven losses in 23 international matches against all opponents.