Canada

I wrote a long post last night about Canada’s Gold Cup game against the United States and how terrible the officiating was.

Then my computer crashed, and post was lost.

The words are gone, but the feeling remains.

Canada was simply ripped off. I’ve checked a number of sources, and by all accounts of the rules of the game of soccer, Canada’s Atiba Hutchinson was onside, and scored.

But the linesman called him offside.

You can read Jonathan Cubas’ account at grassrootsnorth.ca

Canada played really well.  The power  trio of Hutchinson, Julian De Guzman, and Dwayne Derosario are excellent in midfield.

Patrice Bernier had a good game. Marty Nash didn’t look too bad either.

Give this team a couple of years, when Jaime Peters joins, and we’ll be making World Cup finals as often as Canada is in the Canada Cup of hockey.

Bruit Blanc

Qu’est-ce que vous chantez? 

Nous chantons les Rouges allez. 

Red tried, but all the borrowed TFC chants in the world didn’t stop “White Noise” yesterday at BMO Field in Toronto.

The whites defeated the Reds (Come-on you reds) 5-3 in the inaugural NXNE Cup played in front of 57 (what I imagined to be screaming) fans.
The game, which featured a white team of musicians and members of the music industry taking on the red team of media and ringers, was hard fought from whistle to whistle – the latter whistle being the steam variety that was served ice cold on the BMO Field patio after the match.
Andy Krsic opened the scoring for the reds with an early strike. After he scored he wowed the crowd with his pre-planned airplane celebration.
Reds goalie Mike “Dia” D’Abramo was a solid wall in the first half  frustrating the White strikers.

The reds looked in complete control of the game until a goal was called back offside. Instant replay (that was only available in the heads of the players sitting on the sideline) showed that the play was not offside and Arno Koolen had scored. But it didn’t matter – that call gave the team white the breathing room it needed to get back into the game.
At half-time the White Noise coach, Toronto FC’s #23, Miguel Cañizalez took his team aside and adjusted their 3-4-3 formation into a classic 4-4-2 with the optional diamond midfield.
The reds, coached by Toronto FC’s #6, Maurice “Mo” Edu, kept his team with the flat 4-4-2 that was successful for them in the first half.
The half-time change made the difference as White Noise staged a second-half comeback to put themselves ahead.
One of the goals was a penalty shot that goalie D’Abramo just missed with the tips of his fingers.
A series of late, dangerous attacks, by Team Red was repelled by the White Noise defenders, and “Les Blancs” held on to win the game 5-3.

Game Injury report:
- One pulled hamstring

- One massive Field Turf rug burn

- One (rumoured) attempted “twist-top” opening of a steam whistle.

Best advice from a coach: When asked late in the second half what Team Red should do to get back in the game, Maurice Edu said “score.”

Cup game this Sunday in Toronto

Okay it’s not the world cup.

This Sunday June 10, 2007 I’ll be playing in the first annual NorthByNorthEast Cup.

It pits musicians against the media.

I’ll be on team media.

Cost to see the match is $5 with all proceeds going to benefit Right To Play.

(from their site): Right To Play uses specially-designed sport and
play programmes to improve health, build life skills, and foster peace
for children and communities affected by war, poverty, disease.
Working in both the humanitarian and development contexts, Right To
Play has projects in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and the
Middle East.

I don’t know who the rock stars that the media team will be playing with, but I hear that this guy and this guy are confirmed to be there.

There are also going to be celebrity coaches from the TFC;

I hear the musicians have Danny Dichio and Maurice Edu.

The game is on  Sunday June 10 , at BMO Field (at Exhibition Place) Toronto.

4:00pm – doors open – via Gate 1

4:30pm-6:00pm – game

Game Day

The Gold Cup starts for Canada tonight and The TFC are playing the NY Red Bulls as well.

Two games in one day. It’s great to have soccer overload. I’m going to have to rush home from BMO Field to catch the second match.
I’ve also just done an interview with Canadian defender Jason DeVos.

DeVos is a player in a class of his own. A consummate professional. Completely dominant at centre-back. He led Canada to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2000.

He also gives a ton of insight into the life of a footballer from Canada playing overseas.

You can read it here at grassrootsnorth.ca