by Gian-Luca
While it would have been nice to say that after the semi-final round of World Cup Qualifying, it's still nice to be able to say it now. A 2-2 draw against Costa Rica in the final group match gives Canada 7 points, with 4 goals scored and 2 allowed. Costa Rica finishes 2nd with 4 points and Jamaica sneaks into third with a 1-0 win over El Salvador - both teams finished with 3 points but Jamaica finishes 3rd on the first tie-breaker (head to head results) and must hope for help in the other groups to advance.
There were three nice things about this game.
1. Canada's response after giving up a really crappy goal - came right down the field and scored (ironically, in a play started by some decent Greg Sutton distribution out of the back).
2. Both of Canada's goals were well-taken and its always nice when the team can still score without its top striker on the field (and 4 other key players).
3. Stephen Hart didn't pull a Javier Aguirre and run on to the field to kick a Costa Rican player in the nuts.
A strange game overall. Costa Rica only seemed intent in getting a decent scoreline and performance rather than going all out to win the game to ensure that they qualified. In other words they seemed indifferent to whether they qualified, and perhaps in keeping with their coach's pre-tourney comments, might even be irritated that they have at least one more game to play (likely against either Guadeloupe or Mexico). Canada of course had little to play for and fielded a largey 2nd string squad, which featured a couple of defenders playing out of position, and were quite happy with a 2-2 draw as well.
This is the second Gold Cup in a row where Canada has won its group and the second time in its history - unless you count being "drawn" out of the hat first in 2002 as winning the group (the year they finished even with Ecuador and Haiti in points, goals scored, goals allowed and of course goal differential).