This Day in Football from 27 August to 2 September

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 27 August 1985
Canada posts its first clean sheet at a FIFA U-20 World Cup with Bryan Rosenfeld in goal for Canada. The final score is a 0:0 draw with Australia at the FIFA U-20 World Cup USSR 1985. Said coach Bob Bearpark, “the match proved to be an unattractive affair, both teams dominating in their respective defensive responsibilities.” Larry Pretto had Canada’s best chance of scoring, but hit the crossbar with his header.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 27 August 1986
Canada plays to a 0:0 draw with Korea DPR at the 1986 Merlion Cup. Goalkeeper Paul Dolan establishes a national record with his fifth clean sheet of the year (his record is broken 14 years later by Pat Onstad in 2000).

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 29 August 1986
Canada wins 5:0 over host Trinidad and Tobago at the 1986 CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship in Port of Spain. It is Canada’s second win against the hosts (once in each round). Domenic Mobilio, John Fitzgerald, Billy Domazetis (two) and James Grimes score for Canada. Captain Burke Kaiser suffers a “head gash” and is administered seven stitches. Goalkeeper Pat Onstad posts his fifth clean sheet of the tournament.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 30 August 1986
Canada wins 4:0 over India at the Merlion Cup in Singapore. It marks the second time that two teenagers score for Canada in a “A” match: Lucio Ianiero scores his second career goal while Alex Bunbury scores his first career goal.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 30 August 1996
Canada wins 3:1 over Panama in a FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, AB. Geoff Aunger, Paul Peschisolido and Carlo Corazzin score for Canada.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 30 August 2007
Andrea Neil is celebrated as Canada’s all-time leader in appearances before a 0:0 draw with Japan in a Women’s International Friendly match at the National Stadium in Japan. Neil serves as captain in the match. Christine Sinclair, who enters as a substitute, becomes the third player to make her 100th appearance for Canada.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 31 August 1986
Canada wins the 1986 CONCACAF Youth Championship, finishing first amongst four teams in the final group phase. Canada 2:1 victory over Cuba – combined with USA’s 0:1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago – secured Canada’s first CONCACAF youth title. James Grimes scores his sixth goal and Billy Domazetis scores his tournament-best seventh goal. Burke Kaiser, who took seven stitches in the previous match, accepted the trophy on Canada’s behalf.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 31 August 2003
Canada wins 8:0 over Mexico in a Women’s International Friendly match at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. A Canadian record 29,953 fans are in attendance for Canada’s third-last home match before the FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 2003. Kara Lang, Andrea Neil, Christine Latham (two), Christine Sinclair, Charmaine Hooper and Sasha Andrews score for Canada (while Mexico’s Patricia Peña scores an own goal in Canada’s favour).

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 1 September 1985
Canada posts a 0:0 draw in its first FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match in Costa Rica. Goalkeeper Tino Lettieri posts the clean sheet in front of 23,398 fans at Estadio Nacional in San José, even though Canada plays the last half hour with only 10 men after a Mike Sweeney ejection. Canada maintains first place in CONCACAF Round 3 with just one match left to play. Canada will go on to win the group and qualify for the 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 1 September 1998
Canada wins 4:0 over Guatemala in a FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifier match at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke, ON. Charmaine Hooper opens the scoring before Silvana Burtini scores three goals for her third-straight hat trick of the competition. Nicole Wright posts a third-successive clean sheet.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 1 September 2005
Canada falls 1:3 to Germany in a Women’s International Friendly match at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC. Kara Lang scores the lone goal for Canada. Also of note, Martina Franko makes her debut for Canada. Before the match, the Canadian Soccer Association pays tribute to hometown footballer Andrea Neil in recognition of her 100th appearance (Neil reached the milestone on 21 April 2005).

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 2 September 1999
Canada wins 1:0 over Jamaica in a Men’s International Friendly match at Varsity Stadium in Toronto. Jim Brennan scores his first international goal with friends and family in the crowd.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 2 September 2011
Canada wins its opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, a 4:1 win over St. Lucia. Josh Simpson becomes the eighth Canadian to score two goals in a FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match. The victory also marks Canada’s first at BMO Field in Toronto (improving Canada’s record to one win, three draws and one loss).