Toronto, Ontario | BMO Field
Attendance: 10412
CAN MNT Goal: Atiba, Hutchinson. Assist: Goal Scorer
Atiba Hutchinson
Russell Teibert
Tosaint Ricketts
Caution: Tosaint, Ricketts (CAN MNT)
Tosaint Ricketts
Marcus Haber
Cyle Larin
CAN MNT Goal: Tosaint, Ricketts. Assist: Goal Scorer
Tosaint Ricketts
CAN MNT Goal: Tosaint, Ricketts. Assist: Goal Scorer
Tosaint Ricketts
Samuel Piette
Julian de Guzman
Canada won 3:0 in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers over Belize, winning the 4 September 2015 home match in front of 10,412 fans at BMO Field. Tosaint Ricketts scored twice before Atiba Hutchinson made it three while goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos and his defence maintained the clean sheet.
The match was the first in a home-and-away series with Belize in CONCACAF Round 3 of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The two-match, total goals series concludes on Tuesday 8 September at FFB Stadium in Belmopán, Belize.
Canada had most of the possession throughout the match, taking full advantage of the home surroundings. The team produced recurring attacks throughout the match, culminating with the three goals past Belize star goalkeeper Woodrow West. Man of the match Ricketts scored in the 25th and 65th minutes while Hutchinson scored just after the 90th minute.
Ricketts now has five international goals this 2015 season, four of which have been scored in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. He has scored seven goals and two assists in 14 career matches in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers since 2011.
Belize, for their part, started with five defenders at the back. Goalkeeper Woodrow West was by far the team's best player, stopping several Canadian scoring chances that could have led to a bigger scoreline.
On the first goal, it was a tip-in inside the six-yard box. The play built nicely down the left side, with an Issey Nakajima-Farran backheel encouraging Marcel de Jong to whip in a glorious cross. The Cyle Larin header was nearly as good, but goalkeeper West made a superb save. Bulldog Samuel Piette fought for the rebound, knocking it over West before Ricketts kicked between Burger Lennan's legs to knock the bouncing ball over the line.
Chances aplenty continued throughout the first half, but Canada had to wait until after the break to double the lead. Finally in the 65th minute, Ricketts scored his second after another nice build up by the Canadian attack. With a Canadian shot defelected seemingly out of trouble, Piette won a 50-50 challenge to put the ball back into the Belize box. Issey Nakajima-Farran then outmuscled his opponent to get the ball wide to Nik Ledgerwood.
Ledgerwood crossed it in to the near post where Ricketts volleyed it past West for a 2-0 lead.
With a second leg still to play, Canada did not let up as they pressed for a third goal. They thought they had it on a Will Johnson blast from inside the box. Johnson, however, was denied.
Johnson immediately got the better of the Belize defence, however, by taking a quick, short corner to Russell Teibert. The second-half substitute Teibert cut a pass through two marking defenders after which Hutchinson knocked it over the line from inside the six-yard box.
For this home match, Canada's starting XI featured Kenny Stamatopoulos in goal, Nik Ledgerwood at right back, David Edgar and Adam Straith at centre back, Marcel de Jong at left back, and Atiba Hutchinson, Julian de Guzman, Will Johnson, Tosaint Ricketts, Issey Nakajima-Farran and Cyle Larin from the midfield up through to the attack.
Canada's first sub came in the 14th minute when hurt de Guzman was replaced by Samuel Piette. In the second half, Canada coach Benito Floro added fresh legs by replacing Cyle Larin with Marcus Haber in the 66th minute and goal scorer Ricketts with Russell Teibert in the 83rd minute.
As for Belize, their lineup featured Woodrow West (goal), Burger Lennen, Evral Trapp, Elroy Smith, Jarett Davis, Dalton Eiley, Andres Makin, Denmark Casey, Daniel Jimenez, Harrison Roches, and Deon McCauley.
In the second half, Belize coach Jorge Nuñez replaced Makin with Devon Makin (60'), Trapp with Khalil Velasquez (66'), and Roches with debutant Nana-Yaw Amankwah-Mensah (73').
As for discipline, the only yellow card was shown to Ricketts.
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