Canada draws Costa Rica, Guadeloupe and Haiti for 2007 Gold Cup

OTTAWA (ONTARIO) – Canada’s men’s national team has drawn Costa Rica, Guadeloupe and Haiti for the group stage of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Canucks will face Costa Rica on 7 June (19:00), Guadeloupe on 9 June (19:00) and Haiti on 11 June (21:00). All three games will be played in Miami, FL.



The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup takes place 6 to 24 June in the United States. Games will take place in Miami, FL (Orange Bowl), Chicago, IL (Soldier Field), East Rutherford, NJ (Giants Stadium), Carson, CA (Home Depot Center), Houston, TX (Reliant Stadium), and Foxborough, MA (Gillette Stadium).



Canada has faced Costa Rica 15 times at the men’s senior team level, including four matches in past Gold Cup competitions. Costa Rica won the last match 1:0 on a Jafet Soto penalty kick in the 2005 Gold Cup (7 July in Seattle, WA). Canada won their previous Gold Cup match in 2003 (1:0 after a Paul Stalteri strike) while both teams earned draws in 2000 (2:2) and 1993 (1:1). In 11 other match-ups (World Cup qualifying or international friendly matches), Canada has recorded two wins, six losses and three draws. In all, Canada has faced Costa Rica 39 times at all levels (Canada has 14 wins, 15 losses and 10 draws).



Canada has faced Guadeloupe just once, but never at the men’s senior team level. It was Canada’s men’s U-20 team that defeated Guadeloupe 4:2 in 1992 in Burnaby, BC.



Canada has faced Haiti nine times at the men’s senior team level, including their 2:0 win at the 2002 Gold Cup (Kevin McKenna scored both goals). In their eight other matches, Canada has five wins, one loss and two draws. In all, Canada faced Haiti 13 times at all levels (Canada has nine wins, one loss and three draws).



In FIFA’s February 2007 world rankings, Canada was the ninth-ranked country in the CONCACAF conference. Canada will look to improve its standings this summer when it takes part in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The tournament will feature its biggest prize pool ever since CONCACAF has announced prizes have more than doubled for all winners and qualifiers in the 12-team tournament. From the tournament’s 16-year history (eight finals), Canada were Gold Cup champions in 2000.