Canada defies odds and clinches top spot, set to take on Honduras in 1/4’s

Not satisfied with a mere quarter-final berth, Canada’s young soccer team took its quest for a Gold Cup title a step further by winning its group in convincing fashion.

Patrice Bernier and Marcel De Jong scored as Canada tied Costa Rica 2-2 last night in its final game in the group stages at the CONCACAF championship tournament.

The result gave Canada the top spot in Group A with seven points after 1-0 victories over Jamaica and El Salvador in the first two group matches.

“What we had to do tonight, we did,” Canada head coach Stephen Hart said. “We got the result of a point.”

Canada will play its quarter-final match in the soccer championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean next Saturday against the runner-up of Group B.

“I thought the guys played their hearts out,” Canadian defender Andrew Hainault said. “To come out first in the group, nobody expected us to do this.”

After both teams scored the game’s four goals during a 12-minute spurt in the first half, Canada protected the tie and rarely attacked the Costa Rica goal area in the second half.

With a berth in the quarter-finals already assured heading into the game, Hart rested midfielder Julian De Guzman and didn’t play Ali Gerba until the final 16 minutes of regulation. Gerba scored both Canadian goals in the first two group matches.

Canada struck twice within a four-minute span midway through the first half for a 2-1 lead. Bernier tied the match 1-1 in the 23rd minute.

Josh Simpson’s pass from the left wing found an open Bernier outside the six-yard box, where he successfully converted on a shot past Costa Rica goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzalez.

The goal negated a brief Costa Rica lead as Andy Herron scored the game’s first goal in the 23rd minute. Armando Alonso headed Canadian ‘keeper Greg Sutton’s goal kick to the midfield area to an open Herron on the right wing.

Herron dribbled unmarked toward the Canadian penalty area. Sutton left the goal area to cut Herron’s angle but Herron flicked a shot into an open net.

De Jong gave Canada a 2-1 lead with a goal in the 27th minute when he retrieved a loose ball and sent a shot from 25 yards that landed inside the left post.

But Walter Centeno closed an offensively charged first half with a 20-yard free kick goal in the 34th minute.

We are now set to take on Group B runners up Honduras on Saturday, July 18.

Honduras earned a Gold Cup quarter-final date with Canada by thumping Grenada 4-0 in soccer action Saturday.

Honduras (2-1) finished second in Group B as a result of the victory in Foxborough, Mass. They will play Canada on July 18 at 5 p.m. ET at Lincoln Field in Philadelphia.

Canada clinched first in Group A on Friday with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica.

Canada and Honduras have some recent history. The Hondurans rallied with two goals in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying match last September.

Honduras scored within the first two minutes and didn’t look back on Saturday, receiving goals from Walter Martinez, Roger Espinoza, Melvin Valladares and Carlos Costly.