Job one is done for Canada’s men’s U-17 team as they’ve secured at least a spot in the playoff round at the 2015 CONCACAF U-17 Championship after a 3-1 win over St. Lucia at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
It wasn’t Canada’s best performance of the competition thus far but their overall quality sealed the difference on a night where they came up against a plucky St. Lucia team that had already been eliminated from contention coming into the encounter.
It took more than half an hour for Canada to get on the board but then they got two in two minutes as Whitecaps FC Residency striker Daniel Sagno and Duwayne Ewart scored in the 33rd and 34th minutes, respectively.
Cassius Joseph pulled a goal back before halftime before Ballou Tabla scored the only goal in the second half to give Canada some insurance.
Sagno was through on goal when he latched onto a cross from Tristan Borges. Sagno converted but there was a brief worry that he may have been offside but there was no call and Canada had a deserved lead.
There was no worry of offside on the second goal as Ewart ran onto a long ball on the right side, beat a defender and then ran in on goal and though the St. Lucian keeper got a piece of the ball, it wasn’t enough and Ewart celebrated his third goal of the tournament.
St. Lucia halved the deficit before the half was up when Joseph punished Canada for being unable to clear a cross from the left side when he banged in a rebound.
But the two-goal advantage was restored in the 57thth minute when Tabla was in space after receiving a pass from substitute Malik Johnson. Tabla had the time to pick his spot and slotted the ball by going to the far post.
Canada wraps up Group B play on Thursday when they take on Panama, who has already been eliminated. Canada and Mexico are currently tied for first place in the group with 10 points but Mexico holding the tiebreaker at the moment with a better goal difference.
Scoring summary
34' - CAN - Daniel Sagno
35' - CAN - Duwayne Ewart
47' - LCA - Cassius Joseph
57' - CAN - Ballou Tabla
Canada
1.Luciano Trasolini; 2.Kadin Chung, 4.Matthew Baldisimo, 3.Andrew Dias, 12.Thomas Mickoski; 6.Munir Saleh, 10.Tristan Borges, 8.Harrison Patton (13.Aidan Daniels 63'), 9.Ballou Tabla; 7.Duwayne Ewart (20.Richlord Ennin 80'), 14.Daniel Sagno (11.Malik Johnson 56')
