Cyle Larin (#21, red jersey) and Will Johnson (#8, red jersey) jump seconds before producing the goal that gave Canada a 1-0 win over visiting Honduras in World Cup Qualifying on November 13, 2015, in Vancouver.
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Canada envisioned nights like this when David (Junior) Hoilett finally committed to play for the country of his birth. The newly minted MLS Rookie of the Year admits he is unlikely to score a more unusual goal in his career.
VANCOUVER, BC – it’s been ten years since the Canadian Men’s National Team played a match in Vancouver, but on Friday night at BC Place fans of Les Rogues went home happy after watching a decisive 1-0 victory over Honduras in a crucial Group A match.
“We’re playing at home, we must impose the conditions, the pace and the criteria by which we should play [the] game”, he was quoted as saying by El Grafico.
For Johnson, Friday’s win was a big step forward for a program that has sputtered to make inroads on the worldwide scene for a few time.
“He’s special and he creates moments, little bits of magic in these games”.
Diario Deportivo Diez said “Canada baptizes and beats Honduras at the start of the Qualifiers”.
“I don’t think we’ll ever forget it but I’m definitely passed it. It doesn’t bother me anymore”, said Canadian midfielder Will Johnson, when asked about that infamous and humiliating result in Honduras three years ago.
“We know he’ll bring a lot for the team”, said Canadian midfielder Atiba Hutchinson.
“It’s positive for us and we just have to continue like this”. Had the Canadians won that game, the outcome of the return match wouldn’t have mattered. “The game was very well balanced, but we worked hard to win”.
Canada nearly doubled its lead on Friday in the 63rd minute when Johnson hammered a free kick from 35 yards that goalkeeper Noel Valladares just got a touch to before it struck the post and stayed out.
Honduras did have an excellent chance to draw level in the 76th minute when Mario Martinez’s shot from distance forced Milan Borjan to tip his shot over the goal.
In El Salvador, it’s more likely that the weather and the rather chewed-up pitch at the Estadio Cuscatlan – which is not expected to sell out for Tuesday’s match – will affect Canada the most. It wasn’t flawless, but I didn’t feel like we were out of control. “I am sure we are going to play against Mexico here”.
Among the 12 countries left standing in the qualifying region that covers North and Central America and the Caribbean, Canada is ranked 102nd by Federation Internationale de Football Association and is in one of three four-team groups along with No. 24 Mexico, No. 94 El Salvador and No. 95 Honduras. The top two teams in the group, which also includes Mexico, will advance to the final round of qualifying.
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Notes: The temperature at kickoff with the roof open at B.C. Place was 9C….
