VANCOUVER, BC – It’s been a busy few days for a number of Vancouver Whitecaps FC players on the international scene. Here’s your international roundup.
CANADA BEAT JAMAICA IN REMATCH OF GOLD CUP QUARTERFINAL
MLSers Anthony Jackson-Hamel and Jonathan Osorio scored for Canada in a 2-0 win over Jamaica on Saturday night at BMO Field. Junior Hoilett (Cardiff City FC), who set up Jackson-Hamel's opener with a perfect cross, was named man of the match.
Three Vancouver Whitecaps FC players appeared in the friendly, though it was a short-lived appearance for two of them. Marcel de Jong got the start for Canada and was replaced at halftime by Sam Adekugbe, who was forced to leave the match just nine minutes later due to injury.
Alphonso Davies, meanwhile, entered the match in the 70th minute. But the youngster was shown a straight red card just six minutes later after kicking out at a Jamaican defender who had gone in on a heavy tackle.
Davies left the pitch with his head buried in his jersey.
"It appeared to me that he was a little bit embarrassed, a little bit repentant," said Canada head coach Octavio Zambrano. "We just have to be patient with him. He's a great kid. I stand by him. I am not overly concerned because I know his essence as a human being. He's a great kid. He's going to be OK."
Prior to the match, de Jong was honoured for surpassing 50 international appearances earlier this year, while Davies received the Gold Cup Golden Boot and Young Player Award.
BOLA, WASTON HELP TICOS TO HISTORIC WIN
Christian Bolaños and Kendall Waston both started in Costa Rica’s crucial 2-0 win over the U.S. at Red Bull Arena on Friday night, helping the Ticos earn their first victory on American soil since 1985.
Bolaños played 71 minutes and Waston went the distance, while San Jose Earthquakes striker Marco Ureña scored both goals on the night. A win on Tuesday vs. Mexico would now clinch Costa Rica’s berth in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
“I don’t like to say we’re the biggest team in the region. But we are on par with the U.S. and Mexico because you can notice the respect now in every game you play against them,” Bolaños told MLSsoccer.com. “There’s not much difference between us all any more. We are happy to have accomplished that, but we can’t get sidetracked. We have to keep going, because we are very close.
“Today, we won in the U.S. for the first time in more than 30 years. That’s a great feeling. We are very happy. Now we have to rest up and see if we can punch our ticket against Mexico.”
KIWIS WIN BIG AS BEVAN EARNS FIRST CAP
Also on Friday, Whitecaps FC goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic and WFC2 duo Myer Bevan and Deklan Wynne helped New Zealand move one step closer to the 2018 World Cup with a 6-1 win over Solomon Islands in the first leg of the Oceania Football Confederation Final.
Marinovic and Wynne both started and played the full 90 minutes, while Bevan subbed on in the 74th minute to earn his first senior cap with the Kiwis. Chris Wood of Burnley FC in the English Premier League led the way for New Zealand with a hat-trick.
The second leg goes on Tuesday and the winner will advance to an inter-confederation playoff vs. the fifth place team in CONMEBOL (currently Argentina) for a berth in the 2018 World Cup.
After a weekend off for the FIFA international break, Whitecaps FC play host to Real Salt Lake on Saturday, September 9, BC Place – their first of four straight home matches in the month of September (tickets available at whitecapsfc.com/tickets).
