Canada : United States (match tracker)
Canada’s men’s national team will play the United States tomorrow in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final in Chicago, IL. The winner will advance to the Sunday final, which like the semi-final will be played at Soldier Field. The Canada-USA semi-final match will be broadcast at the following times: Rogers Sportsnet East & Ontario at 23.00 ET, Rogers Sportsnet West at 21.00 MT, and Rogers Sportsnet Pacific at 23.00 PT. For those viewers that have all four Rogers Sportsnet digital channels, they can watch the game live on Rogers Sportsnet East and Rogers Sportsnet Pacific at 18.00 CT (19.00 ET or 16.00 PT).
Canada advanced to the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Saturday 16 June after defeating Guatemala by a score of 3:0. Ali Gerba scored a pair of goals, giving him three in the tournament. The United States advanced by defeating Panama. In the other semi-final match, Mexico will face Guadeloupe.
OTTAWA (ONTARIO) – It was a historic day for Canada’s national teams yesterday. Three teams – the men’s national team, the women’s national team, and the men’s U-20 team – all won international matches on Wednesday 6 June. It marked the first time that Canada’s national teams won three matches on the same day.
The Canadian women won 5:0 in Auckland, New Zealand, the Canadian men won 2:1 in Miami, FL, and the Canadian U-20 men won 4:0 in Kingston, ON. Both the women (against New Zealand) and U-20 men (against the United States) were playing the second match of a two-game international friendly series with their opponent. The men’s national team, meanwhile, were playing the opening match of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Canada’s men’s national team announced today that Chris Pozniak has joined the Gold Cup team in Miami, FL. Pozniak, originally named to the 23-man roster as a reserve, left Toronto FC after Wednesday’s Major League Soccer game and joins the national team before Saturday match against Guadeloupe.
This will be Pozniak’s fourth CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, having previously played in the 2002, 2003 and 2005 tournaments. Pozniak has 17 career caps with the senior team, the most recent of which came against Hungary on 12 November 2006. He actually made his debut with the senior team at the 2002 Gold Cup tournament on 18 January in Miami, FL (against Haiti).
OTTAWA (ONTARIO) – The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that goalkeeper Pat Onstad has joined the Canadian men’s national team before the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Onstad replaces Joshua Wagenaar who is unable to participate because of his back injury.
Onstad is a veteran of 46 senior caps and 11 youth caps with the Canadian team. He currently plays for Major League Soccer’s defending champions Houston Dynamo. At age 39, Onstad is the oldest active player in the MLS. After starring with Canada’s youth team in 1986-87 (they won the 1986 CONCACAF U-19 qualification championship), he made his full senior-team debut at age 20 against Bermuda on 18 February 1988. Onstad is the second Houston player on Canada’s lineup, joining midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. Onstad joins goalkeeper Greg Sutton on the active roster.
Canada : Venezuela (match tracker)
Canada’s men’s national team will play Venezuela in a friendly international match on Friday 1 June in Maracaibo. The two teams will kick off their first international meeting at 19.30 at the Estadio José Pachencho Romero, one of the sites for the upcoming Copa América Venezuela 2007.
Canada will use the match as a tune-up for next week’s opening round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States. Canada’s roster for the one-game international fixture is the same as it is for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
OTTAWA (ONTARIO) – Canada’s women’s national team announced today their roster for the two-game international friendly series with New Zealand. Canada departs this week for New Zealand where they will play in Auckland on 3 June and 6 June.
“New Zealand is quite a new adventure for us,” says Canadian coach Even Pellerud. “New Zealand is also a World Cup team and they have had problems finding international competition in the past. We have limited knowledge of their team, but we are very much looking forward to another challenge and a new opportunity to refine and improve our game fitness.”
OTTAWA (ONTARIO) – L’équipe canadienne féminine senior a dévoilé aujourd’hui son effectif pour la série de deux matchs amicaux internationaux qui l’opposera à la Nouvelle-Zélande. L’équipe canadienne se rendra en Nouvelle-Zélande cette semaine et y affrontera les « All Whites » les 3 et 6 juin, à Auckland.
« La Nouvelle-Zélande est une nouvelle aventure pour l’équipe, affirme l’entraîneur-chef de l’équipe féminine senior, Even Pellerud. La Nouvelle-Zélande fait également partie des équipes qui se sont qualifiées pour la Coupe du Monde, mais elle a connu des problèmes pour organiser des matchs internationaux. Nous n’avons que des connaissances limitées de cette équipe, mais nous avons hâte de relever le défi et d’en profiter pour peaufiner et améliorer notre condition physique. »
Canada’s men’s national team announced their roster for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Canadian team meets in Fort Lauderdale, FL next week in anticipation of the 2007 tournament that kicks off on 6 June.
“Everyone is looking forward to the Gold Cup competition,” says coach Stephen Hart. “We have assembled a squad of players that work well together. We hope to build on these playing relationships in Venezuela (for a friendly) and in the United States as the competition progresses.”
The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that Fred Nykamp has been named chief executive officer (CEO) for the Canadian Soccer Association. Mr. Nykamp will lead the Canadian Soccer Association into an exciting new stage as soccer continues to progress as one of the leading recreational and entertainment sports in Canada.
“We are proud to welcome Mr. Nykamp to the Canadian Soccer Association team,” says president Colin Linford. “It is a pleasure to introduce someone with such a strong business repertoire from both the corporate and sport communities. He will play an integral part in shaping the Canadian Soccer Association from our youngest first-time players to our senior professional and international players.”