Stoppage-time goal lifts Curacao into a 1-1 draw with Canada at Gold Cup
CBC
Canada paid for failing to finish out a game Saturday, conceding a 94th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Curacao in Group B play at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Houston.
Substitute Jeremy Antonisse's stoppage-time goal came after Canada lost possession near midfield. The ball went to Antonisse, whose low shot deflected off sliding defender Zorhan Bassong over goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
"We had warnings just to tell us to be a bit more careful, but they kept pushing and got the equalizer," said Canada captain Jonathan David. "So obviously it's frustrating to get a tie like that but we have to keep moving forward."
It had looked like Nathan Saliba's early goal was going to be enough for a win that would have assured No. 30 Canada of a place in the tournament quarterfinals. But with four points from two games, Canada is still in the driving seat in the pool ahead of its Group B finale Tuesday against No. 81 El Salvador in Houston.
Canada thumped No. 75 Honduras 6-0 in its opener Tuesday in Vancouver, while No. 90 Curacao played El Salvador to a scoreless draw in San Jose, Calif.
The late strike Saturday was likely due for Curacao, which had two goals called back and a possible penalty negated in the second half.
"We've got to learn from these types of games," said assistant coach Mauro Biello, who ran the sideline in place of suspended coach Jesse Marsch.
"That's an experienced team over there. We let it get a little bit too wide open, we gave away silly fouls and they were just pumping balls into the box and we had a hard time dealing with second balls, set pieces."
Canada finished with 52 per cent possession. Both teams had six shots with Canada holding a 3-2 edge in shots on target.
"A good result," said 77-year-old Curacao coach Dick Advocaat, whose international managerial resume includes stints with the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Belgium, Russia, Serbia, South Korea and Iraq.
It was 30 C at kickoff at Shell Energy Stadium and the heat and sparse crowd did little to boost the entertainment value of a contest Marsch watched from the stands.
El Salvador played Honduras in the late game at the same venue.
After round-robin play, the four group winners and four runners-up advance to the knockout stage, with quarterfinals scheduled for June 28-29, followed by the semifinals July 2 and final July 6 at Houston's NRG Stadium.
Should Canada win its group, it would face the runner-up in Group C (No. 33 Panama, No. 63 Jamaica, No. 106 Guatemala and unranked Guadeloupe) in the quarterfinals, while the second-place team in B faces the C winner.
