April 23 U20 Friendly - China vs Canada [R]

[loyola]

Men's Youth (U-20) Team

Saturday, April 23, 2005

China Defeat Canadian Youth 2-0

Canadian Men’s Youth (U-20) Team were defeated 2-0 by China in Frankfurt, Germany on Saturday, April 23, 2005.

China scored first on a free-kick in 17th minute.

Riley O’Neill was denied the equalizer when his breakaway shot was saved in the 75th minute.

China scored their second on a 25 yard shot in the 90th minute.

“This was our first game back together since CONCACAF Qualifying, we have lots of work to get done before the Championships this summer,” said head coach Dale Mitchell.

Saturday, April 23, 2005 – International friendly

Frankfurt, Germany

Canada 0(0)

China 2(1)

Goals – China (17, 90)

Canada: 1-WAGENAAR, Joshua; 2-STEWART, Vince (13-D'AGOSTINO, Mike, 70); 3-LEDGERWOOD, Nikolas; 4-HAINAULT, Andrew; 5-KASSAYE, Simon (14-BRITNER, Mathew, 20); 6-SCHIAVONI, Carlo (12-O'NEILL, Riley, 30); 7-PETERS, Jaime, 8-ROSENLUND, Tyler; 10-JOHNSON, Will; 11-DE JONG, Marcel; 15-PEETOOM, Brad

[imported_n/a1394647443]

quote:China scored their second on a 25 yard shot in the 90th minute.

These 90th minute goals our men's teams have been giving up lately have really been exasperating. Not only do they cloud the scoreline but they indicate something else. Lapses in concentration or discipline? Oh well, best to get the mistakes out of the way now rather than later.

[analyst]

Does anyone know if the Chinese team was equally or more prepared/unprepared going into the freindly?

[loyola]

I honestly don't care about the results of those friendly games, the important thing is that we are playing those. Just remember that we lost 4-1 to Turkey one week before going to the 2003 WYC in the UAE and then we made the 1/4 final.

[matthew]

I think losing this game is probably a good thing. There wasn't a lot that was obviously wrong in Honduras, but with the exception of the CB pairing (and it's important to note Kassaye left at 20 in this game), I wasn't sure we were overwhelming in any area. Hopefully we can address whatever was wrong today and make some fine tuning.

cheers,

matthew

[Guest Ed]

Well they didn't have the Calgary scoring machine, Ryan the Jackhammer Gyaki, on the field today.

[maqing]

[8D] Canadian head coach Dale Mitchell is promoting a popoular Chinese website:

http://sports.sina.com.cn/n/p/2005-04-22/23391521929.shtml

[Soccerfan9]

I think we might be looking a little thin up front on this trip in germany. Will Johnson can't do everything on his own

[Alberto]

Does anyone Know which China team they played there is no mention of the age group nor the line up for the China team. Was it the under 20 team or a higher level...

[loyola]

In the first article about this trip theay said that it was China U-20. The same team that played Syria in the qualification in Asia.

[maqing]

Chinese team is the U-20 team that will also go to Holland this year, minus 3 players still playing for their club now. They arrived in Germany April 16th to start their preparation for the world championship. The same two teams will play again April 29th.

BTW the chinese coach is a german who used to coach Canada when Dale Mitchell was a player in the national team. Does anyone know the name?

[maqing]

Chinese team is the U-20 team that will also go to Holland this year, minus 3 players still playing for their club now. They arrived in Germany April 16th to start their preparation for the world championship. The same two teams will play again April 29th.

BTW the chinese coach is a german who used to coach Canada when Dale Mitchell was a player in the national team. Does anyone know the name?

[imported_n/a1394647443]

quote:BTW the chinese coach is a german who used to coach Canada when Dale Mitchell was a player in the national team. Does anyone know the name?

Eckhard Krautzun?

[maqing]

Canada vs China game pictures:

http://sports.sina.com.cn/z/05wutour/photo/14015/index.shtml

[DJT]

Originally posted by maqing - 04/25/2005 : 22:06:56</u>

Here is an article following an interview with Dale Mitchell with Chinese reporter Ma dexing after the China vs Canada game:

http://sports.sina.com.cn/c/p/2005-04-25/11101526864.shtml

The title can be translated as: "20 years later the master still talks and the student listens, canadian coach used to be the one of the best students of our natinal team coach".

It refers to the fact that Chinese U-20 coach Eckhard Krautzun was Dale Mitchell's coach when Dale was a member of the canadian national team 20 years ago. Dale and Eckhard Krautzun can be seen in the picture on top of the page.

Dale Mitchell said:" Both sides played OK. It's only a friendly. It doesn't really reflect the real ability from both sides."

"Losing the game might be a good thing for us. After qualifying for the finals, some of our players were 'on the cloud'. It put many of our players down to earth."

"I know you guys are also in a period of restructuring. Eckhard Krautzun is still juggling the lineup. He picked 2 completely different lineups in each half of the game. I don't see a huge difference between the 2 lineups, which means you have many good players. I could only bring 17 players to Germany. There are also injuries among the 17 players. I really envy Eckhard. "

Apparenlty canadian U-20 will come back april 29th and somehow the second game against China is cancelled. Can anyone confirm this?

[canso]

Copied from fifa.com (no idea how to make it link. I'm an eedjit)

Great quote about "Canuck Spirit."

Chemistry key to Canuck success

Canadian Will Johnson (L) and Ryan Gyaki celebrate 30 January 2005 in San Pedro Sula, 240 km north from Tegucigalpa, their qualification for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in Netherlands, next June, after defeating Mexico, Jamaica and Honduras in the Concacaf final round.

(AFP) Orlando SIERRA

(FIFA.com) 26 Apr 2005

On the strength of high-energy performances from the likes of Iain Hume, Josh Simpson and Atiba Hutchinson, Canada took Dubai by storm at the last FIFA World Youth Championship in the summer of 2003.

Head coach Dale Mitchell will be back at the finals in Holland this June - but without the services of some of his stellar standouts of two years ago. "Last time around we came together in a big way," the coach told FIFA.com. "We had two players named to the finals All-Star team (Hutchinson and Simpson) and that's rare for Canada. But I think there's just as much chance that two or three of our players can get into a similar run of form this time around."

Without the hustle and bustle of Tranmere Rovers' Hume and his outrageous array of hairstyles, it seems the goal-getting burden will fall to Ryan Gyaki of Sheffield United. The attacking midfielder scored all four of Canada's goals in three qualifying wins in January 2005 and looks likely to take up the scoring mantle at the finals.

Whether his goals can see the Canadians to within a hair's breadth of a semi-final (where they ended up two years ago in the Middle East) still remains to be seen. But Mitchell - who lined up for Canada at the country's only FIFA World Cup appearance in '86 - has supreme confidence in his 19-year-old danger-man.

Gyaki full of goals, getting ready in Germany

"Ryan is a good finisher, he can score and likes to get into deeper positions and run at the defence," the coach commented. "The fact that he scored four goals in three games in qualifying was a bit of a surprise, but he got hot at the right time and hopefully he can do it again in Holland."

Canada U-20 coach Dale Mitchell

Courtesy of canadasoccer.com

Currently in Frankfurt, Germany for a two-week training tour, the Canadians will play a friendly against China's U-20s, FC Mainz's reserves and another game against a team to be announced later.

Mitchell, a true believer in positive team chemistry, has no complaints about the spirit in the camp. "The chemistry is great," he was quick to remark. "We had three consecutive camps before the qualifiers. The group really came together then, and have stuck together as a tight unit. I think in terms of spirit, this team is right up there with the one we had in UAE."

When asked about the hard-edged quality that seems to define Canadian football (sometimes referred to as 'Canuck Spirit') the coach chuckled a bit before explaining, "In the history of Canadian athletics, strong character has been very important. We are known for giving 100 percent, and it's always expected no matter what the sport."

He was also quick to add, "That's not all we're about though, as our performances in UAE showed. We are in line with the demands of the modern game and our technique is getting better every year."

High hopes for Holland

The Canadians began their campaign in UAE with a clash against eventual champions and eternal entertainers Brazil. This time around an opener with unknown Syria, ironically, leaves them in perhaps a trickier position. "When we took on Brazil we really had nothing to lose," Mitchell said. "Syria are not as well know as some other teams, and the danger for us would be to underestimate them."

The squad will be bolstered by the inclusion of two UAE 2003 veterans in goalkeeper Josh Wagenaar and Nikolas Ledgerwood. Both were fringe members of the side from two years ago who "have emerged as leaders in the new team and will show they way for the young ones," according to Mitchell.

Along with the Syrians, Canada will have to navigate their way past South American champs Colombia and the always-disciplined Italians in a tough Group E.

And even with the successes in UAE, Mitchell and his men are keen to take things one step at a time. "Our goal is still just to advance from the group stage. We want to be one of the 16 teams to play a fourth game, and then go on from there."