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Wednesday, November 19, 2014

CANADA 0 - PANAMA 0: A draw in Central America helps build Canadian MNT mental toughness


18 November 2014
 

Canada vs Panama - 2014-11-18

Canada, Men's International Friendly
Project: [2014-11] Men's International Friendly in Panama
  • Canada
    0
  • Panama
    0
LocationCiudad de Panamá, PAN
VenueEstadio Rommel Fernández
Kickoff 20.00 local (20.00 ET / 17.00 PT)
BroadcastSportsnet One / World
Canada coloursWhite

CAN MNT

NumberPlayerMinute Entered Total MinutesGAYRGACS
2Nik Ledgerwood801000000
4Doneil Henry19000000
5David Edgar19000100
6Julian de Guzman18000000
7Jonathan Osorio622800000
8Kyle Bekker84600000
9Tosaint Ricketts19000000
10Marcus Haber781200000
11Issey Nakajima-Farran16200000
13Atiba Hutchinson18400000
14Dwayne De Rosario17800000
16Adam Straith19000000
17Russell Teibert622800000
18Milan Borjan190000000
20Patrice Bernier16200000
21Karl W. Ouimette19000000

PAN

NumberPlayerMinute Entered Total MinutesGAYRGACS
 

Canada vs Panama - 2014-11-18

Canada, Men's International Friendly
Project: [2014-11] Men's International Friendly in Panama
  • Canada
    0
  • Panama
    0
LocationCiudad de Panamá, PAN
VenueEstadio Rommel Fernández
Kickoff 20.00 local (20.00 ET / 17.00 PT)
BroadcastSportsnet One / World
Canada coloursWhite
It wasn’t the prettiest of games but Canada’s Men’s National Team endured the Central American humidity to conclude their 2014 season with a 0:0 draw with Panama.
Canada was under pressure for long periods in the first half as the Panamanians were in their element on their home field. But Canada maintained their shape and had some help from Milan Borjan in goal, as they got through the worst of it unscathed.
Panama was reduced to 10 men with just over 10 minutes remaining after Anibal Godoy was sent off for a second yellow card. Both cards came in the second half when he fouled Atiba Hutchinson and Tosaint Ricketts.
Canada got a quick start winning a few free kicks in good spots but Panama then settled into the game and held the ball for long periods of time as Canada struggled to hold onto the ball.
Just past the half hour mark, Borjan came up big when Godoy let a shot go from around 20 yards away. Borjan dove well to his left to push the ball out for a corner kick. Panama continued to press on that series but, as they did all night, the Canadian back line kept the hosts out.
After buckling down in the first half, Canada came out with a bit more of the ball but again, Panama looked likelier to score.
Borjan came up big again in the 57th minute, diving to his right to deny another Panamanian effort. But despite the Panamanian possession, Borjan didn’t have a whole lot else to do.
Canada couldn’t do much with the man-advantage but substitute Marcus Haber created a chance late when he won space on the left and crossed into the middle for Tosaint Ricketts. The ball was a bit behind Ricketts who managed to get a shot away but it went wide.
In a World Cup qualifying campaign, a point on the road is generally seen as a positive, no matter the circumstance.
So the fact that Canada’s Men’s National Team picked up a scoreless tie on the road in Central America against Panama, despite their best performance, is certainly cause for measured optimism.
Mentally a result like Tuesday night’s helps the Canadian team build a bit of confidence that in the toughest conditions, they can go in and get a result when it matters.
“It was pretty obvious in the first half that we were a bit sluggish. We weren’t organized very well. It was more of a mental thing that affected our game. At halftime we rectified it,” said captain Julian de Guzman. “We came back in the second half and I thought it was a better performance on the ball and defensively as well. To conclude the camp with a point it’s a good result but it’s obvious the things we have to work on.”
The players and staff were well aware the first half performance wasn’t up to the standards they keep for themselves but the tactical adjustments made at the half were evident as Canada found something that allowed them to move forward and take it to the hosts a bit more.
It’s been quite some time since Canada got a result in Central America so a night where Canada had to scrap for 90 minutes is a small victory. With still so much work to do and so much development to come, the growing mentality that results are possible in Central America is a start.
“Panama was developing a strong press that was very difficult for us to combine. So the first half was very bad. In the second half, we started with better positioning and we started to play well,” said Head Coach Benito Floro. “I consider this another step because at least our pressing was very good.”

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