TORONTO, CANADA — An inspired Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team fired 3 goals past El Salvador to win three points on Wednesday night on the third match day of the Concacaf Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Qualifiers. Atiba Hutchinson, Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan were the goalscorers as Canada improved to five points with 5 goals scored from three matches in September. It also marked the first time since 1993 that Canada opened three matches unbeaten in the Concacaf Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Canada have opened FIFA World Cup Qualifiers unbeaten with back-to-back 1:1 draws against Honduras and USA. With this 3:0 over El Salvador, Canada now has five points in Concacaf Final Round standings.
“We’re content. Seven or nine (points) would have been the perfect start, but we had to have that Honduras learning to build the intensity for when teams are putting everything on the line,” said Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team Head Coach John Hermdan. “To take three goals tonight, and an away result against the US, we would take it given what we’ve learned. You’ve got to grow every game, and you’ve got get better.”
This victory also marked Head Coach John Herdman’s 22nd win, the most international “A” match wins for a Canada Soccer Men’s National Team Head Coach.
The road to Qatar 2022 will continue in October 2022. Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team will face Mexico in an away match on 7 October, Jamaica in an away match on 10 October, and Panama at home at BMO Field in Toronto on 13 October. Ticket details for the home match at BMO Field will be announced soon.
“All in all, we’re happy with where we’re at right now,” said Canada’s Captain Atiba Hutchinson. “We feel like we’re in a good place. We just want to continue to build on this. We feel that we deserve it and that we’re a good enough team to be winning consistently. We’re at a place where you want to take it game by game, step by step and get more.”
Hutchinson’s goal extended Canada’s unbeaten streak when he scores for Canada with the team registering five wins and three draws over his tenure with the Men’s National Team since 2004.
Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team has built a strong group of players that is gaining invaluable experience by reaching the Concacaf Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Canada is battling for a spot at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ as well as preparing to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Larin set Canada’s all-time record for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers goals last Thursday while Alphonso Davies set the Men’s National Team’s record for assists in a season on Sunday. Also last Thursday in Toronto, Tajon Buchanan, Stephen Eustáquio, Alistair Johnston, Scott Kennedy, and David Wotherspoon all played their first international home matches with Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team.
“t’s an amazing feeling that in three games we haven’t lost,” said Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan. “That’s the most important thing in these FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. I’m just proud. I’m proud of my teammates, that they’re doing an amazing job each game, and from the first game to this game, it was unbelievable. Playing every three days, it’s very hard, mentally, but the guys stayed on task and that’s the most important.”
Borjan has tied the record for most international clean sheets with the 3:0 result.
Canada opened the scoring early with a great combination play between Junior Hoilett, Jonathan Osorio, and Richie Laryea before Atiba Hutchinson put the final cross into the back of the net (6’).
Just five minutes later, Tajon Buchanan chipped a cross back into the danger area in the aftermath of a set-play and found Jonathan David who headed it home to double the Canadian lead (11’).
A free kick by Hoilett in the 15’ bounced around in the box and both Buchanan and Stephen Eustaquio got strong shots away but were ultimately blocked by an El Salvador defender. In the 32’, Osorio got a shot away from just outside of the box but it didn’t have enough bend on it to curve into the far post, and instead the shot went wide.
El Salvador’s best chance of the first half came in the 37’ from Enrico Duenas, who found some space and got a shot away that took a deflection off Steven Vitoria and looked dangerous before it went wide.
Canada started the second half on the front foot and in the 49’, Alistair Johnston found himself in some space and put a low, hard cross through the six-yard box but none of the Canadian attackers were able to get a foot on it to steer it in.
Canada added a third goal when David stole a loose pass and broke on a two-on-one opportunity. He made a square pass to Buchanan who hesitated before calmly sliding his shot past the keeper to make it 3:0 (59’).
In the 67’ Milan Borjan made his best stop of the match as he was called into action to make a fantastic reaction save as the ball floated just over the head of Joaquin Rivas. On the follow-up play, Laryea was able to make a last-ditch tackle to stop a clear chance. Laryea had a chance to make it 4:0 in the 86’ as space opened up in front of him and he hit a great strike that was parried away by El Salvador’s goalkeeper.
Canada Soccer Media Release
Photo credit: Canada Soccer (photo featured image)
