Canada beat Venezuela in a dramatic shoot-out to secure a place in the semi-final of the Copa America games
A fate left to lottery when all the numbers had been in Canada’s favour. No matter. Jesse Marsch’s heroes in white held their nerve from the spot to win Friday’s wild Copa America quarterfinal against Venezuela and book a semifinal with Argentina.
The biggest game in the history of the country’s men’s team was secured by Maxime Crépeau’s remarkable redemption and Ismaël Koné. What a night.
On a night when Dallas became Caracas and an erratic Brazilian officiating team got sometimes lost in the noise, Marsch’s team was wonderful but wasteful.
When Jacob Shaffelburg gave the team a priceless early lead, he turned and made a beeline for the Canada bench, grabbing the jersey of Tajon Buchanan who’d suffered a broken leg in training in Texas mid-week. TV cameras captured Buchanan high up in AT&T Stadium, smiling down.
All of Canada could have been smiling, relaxed even had Marsch’s side taken the glut of glorious openings which came its way. Instead a spectacular second-half sucker-punch, Crépeau of all people caught out, dragged the contest back where it started. Until Koné ended it all with the decisive penalty — 4-3 Canada, after a 1-1 draw.
Two promises fulfilled in one — and it could have been more.
When teeing up this weighty night for the national team we had pointed to two key promises out of Canada’s camp this week: the goals would come and they’d do it for Tajon. Within 14 minutes both boxes were ticked and the Venezuelan hordes, reportedly 49,000 to 1,000 Canadians, briefly silenced when Shaffelburg plundered a crucial opening.
Quick Canadian thinking and snappy Jonathan David work in the box created a half-chance, but it was enough for Shaffelburg, whose right-footed finish was his third international goal, all coming in knockout matches. Hell of a knack to have. Even in such a moment of personal glory, his first thought was for Buchanan as he held aloft the No. 17 shirt.
Yet by the half-hour mark Canada could have been out of sight. Going back to front in a hurry was hurting Venezuela, but David was most guilty as golden openings were spurned. Richie Laryea, again terrific, could have set one up for Cyle Larin but was millimetres off. After the break, Larin snatched at another gilt-edged chance and Marsch clasped his hands in half-prayer. A team which had struggled mightily to create chances now couldn’t take a glut of them — 16 shots, but just a single goal.
Heart of the defensive matter holds firm
Saturday is July 6, which makes it exactly one month to the day that Derek Cornelius and Moïse Bombito started a match together for the first time. If there’s one part of this Canada team where Marsch’s impact has been particularly swift, it’s the heart of the defence.
In Dallas, Bombito and Cornelius played a sixth game in a month together, and the first 45 minutes showed just how far they’ve come as they repelled a Venezuelan attack which scored six group-stage goals. With captain Salomón Rondón leading that line, La Vinotinto love to go vertical, but Canada’s air raid defence was rock solid.
Alongside the newer duo, Alistair Johnston, a leader at 25, is thriving. Playing in the febrile atmosphere of Glasgow’s Old Firm Derby clearly paid off as Johnston kept his head when others were losing them. While it got looser after the break, Cornelius and Bombito stayed mostly resolute, Johnston enormous.
Managing the moments toward Messi
As they took a badly needed quiet moment at the interval, Marsch and his players would have needed no reminder of the prize at stake. Canada opened this whole Copa show against Lionel Messi and Argentina in Atlanta two weeks ago.
But facing the world champion again in a semifinal would undoubtedly be the biggest date in Canadian men’s history. It would also guarantee two more Copa matches and a minimum of $4 million more in prize money.
Canada had to manage the game. Instead they inexplicably handed Venezuela a path back in. A 65th-minute Canadian corner was hoofed clear and suddenly there was trouble. Crépeau, heroic all Copa, hesitated for a half-second. Rondon outmuscled Bombito and lobbed Crépeau, a cue for Venezuelan bedlam and Canadian regrets rushing in.
Marsch made three more changes, Koné belated joining the fray and Canada finishing stronger, but 1-1 it would stay and the fates would be decided from the spot. Rondon sent Crépeau the wrong way again to start things. David held his nerve ins response and we were off. Yangel Herrera missed the target, but so did Liam Millar. Bombito ignored lasers from the crowd to coolly keep Canada in it. Stephen Eustáquio couldn’t do likewise, but Alphonso Davies could.
Sudden death now, because why not? Wilker Angel was denied by Crépeau and Koné sealed history. What a night.
This article was first reported by Star
