Canada to face Peru this September in Toronto

There will be one more South American opponent on Canada’s 2010 schedule. The Canadian Soccer Association has announced today that it men’s national team will face Peru at home this 4 September in Toronto, ON. The home match will be played at BMO Field and is part of a two-match home series that features Peru in Toronto on 4 September and Honduras in Montréal on 7 September.



Canada is in South America this week, facing two-time FIFA World Cup™ champion Argentina on 24 May and then Venezuela on 29 May. Both matches are broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet. After the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, Canada will face Peru on 4 September in Toronto, Honduras on 7 September in Montréal, and Ukraine in Ukraine on 8 October.



“We are pleased to be facing an established opponent like Peru on our home soil,” said Canadian national head coach Stephen Hart. “This match gives us an excellent opportunity to prepare against solid competition. We look forward to playing this match in front of our home fans.”



Canada has built some positive momentum with its 2010 schedule. The team is just beginning its early preparations for the next round of FIFA World Cup™ Qualifiers in 2012, with the established goal to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.



Coach Hart is in his first year as permanent head coach with Canada’s national team. He previously coached Canada at the 2007 and 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cups. Through 2014, Hart will also lead Canada at the 2011 and 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cups.



As for Peru, it has been 22 years since Canada last faced this South American opponent. That one and only encounter took place 26 March 1988 in Lima, Peru. Canada won 3:1 win goals from Lyndon Hooper, Nick De Santis and John Catliff. The goalkeeper of the day was Pat Onstad, who continues to wear the Maple Leaf for this South American trip to Argentina and Venezuela.



Ticket information for the Canada-Peru and Canada-Honduras home matches will be announced later this summer.