Canada’s U-18s Off to Scotland

[Joe MacCarthy]

Men’s U-18 Team
Friday, March 31, 2006
Canada’s U-18s Off to Scotland
http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2412

Ottawa, Ontario – Canada’s Technical Director and Men’s U-18 National Team head coach, Richard Bate, has released his 18-man roster for the team’s upcoming two-game series against Scotland’s Schoolboys.

The Canadian team will arrive in Scotland on April 3rd and play the Scottish Schoolboys team on April 11th and 13th in Banffshire before returning home on the next day.

In April 2005, the Scottish Schools Association travelled to Toronto to play a two-match series against Stephen Hart’s Canada’s U-16 National Team. The two teams drew the first match 2-2 but Canada dominated the second match 3-0 on a spectacular spring day at the Soccer Centre in Vaughan, ON.

The Canadian Soccer Association officially joined the Schoolboys Association Football International Board (SAFIB) in 2002 and together with New Zealand, are the only two non-European nations involved. In addition to the two non-European members, the current SAFIB board is made up of the Schoolboys Associations of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well as the FA’s of Germany, France, Holland, Israel, Finland, Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Switzerland.

“We are reciprocating the fixtures with Scotland that were played in Toronto in early 2005,” said Head Coach Richard Bate.

“This tour will give me the first opportunity to coach and assess the Canadian National player under international circumstances, and provide our players and staff the first opportunity familiarize themselves with each other.

“Above all though, it will also allow me to introduce our playing system and game style that we wish to introduce to Canada’s National Youth teams and the National Training Centres. It will be both an interesting and informative international challenge on all fronts.”

Matches
April 11 - CANADA vs. Scotland – Kynoch Park, Keith, Scotland – 19:00
April 13 - CANADA vs. Scotland – Princess Royal Stadium, Banff, Scotland – 19:00

Roster

# Pos. Name Club DOB Hometown Prov.
1 GK GILL, Jaswinder NTC Praries (ALB) 5-Jan-89 Edmonton AB
2 GK KALONOWSKI, Tim NTC Atlantic (PEI) 31-Jan-89 Charlottetown PEI
3 RFB LASSONDE, Fabrice NTC Quebec 18-Feb-89 Mont-saint-grégoire QC
4 RFB VOLKENANT, Brayden NTC BC 3-Mar-89 Surrey BC
5 RFB SIDRA, Eddie NTC-Praries 20-Feb-89 Edmonton AB
6 LFB MACDONALD, Scott NTC BC 31-Jul-89 Surrey BC
7 CB HABER, Marcus NTC BC 11-Jan-89 Vancouver BC
8 CB SMITH, Liam NTC BC 1-Jan-89 Surrey BC
9 CMDF PEREIRA, Michael NTC Ontario (FC Porto) 9-Mar-89 London ON
10 LWG ROBERTS, Dane NTC Ontario 26-Jan-89 Ajax ON
11 CMDF GIEZEN, Robert NTC BC 10-Mar-89 North Vancouver BC
12 CMDF SMITH, David NTC Atlantic (NB) 23-Mar-89 Halifax NS
13 CMDF BONIFACIO, Brandon NTC BC 29-Jun-89 Vancouver BC
14 RFB OWUSU-ANSAH, Kennedy NTC Ontario 20-Jul-89 Toronto ON
15 RWG ROSA, Sean NTC Quebec 7-Jun-89 Montreal QC
16 CMDF GAUDET, Derek NTC Atlantic (NS) 14-May-89 Bayside NS
17 STK RUTLEDGE, Todd NTC Ontario 30-Jun-89 London ON
18 CMDF GYORIO, Mozesh NTC Atlantic (PEI) 1-Aug-89 Stratford PEI

Staff
Richard Bate - Head Coach
Dave Benning - Assistant Coach/Equipment Manager
Doug Redmond - Head of Delegation
Simon Smith - Goalkeeper Coach
Colin Moore - Athletic Therapist
Mike Campbell - Team Doctor
Benjamin Adam - Videographer/IT Specialist
Daniel Michelucci - Assitant National Teams Administrator

[Joe MacCarthy]

Men’s U-18 Team
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
U18s Fall to Scotland 1-0
http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2419

Ottawa, Ontario – Canada’s Men’s U-18 National Team lost 1-0 to the Scottish schoolboys team today in Keith, Scotland.

Field conditions at Kynoch Park were difficult following some heavy rain just prior to the game.

The Canadians almost leaped in front within the first 10 minutes when Fabrice Lassonde just missed his delicate chip to the right of the Scottish goal.

Five minutes later, a Canadian corner kick resulted in a scramble inside the Scottish box but Scotland’s defense managed to scramble it off the line.

Then it was Jaswinder Gill who was called into action when the Scots were rewarded with a free kick at right corner of the 18 yard box. Gill did well to hold the ball, diving to the bottom left hand side to keep the score level.

The second half was more of the same – half chances that could not be steered into the goal.

Then Canada should have grabbed the go-ahead goal with fifteen minutes left to play. A wonderful run from Rutledge down right side was spotted and when the winger made his way to the end line, he swung his cross to the front of the six-yard box where it was met by Brandon Bonifacio who headed the ball of the crossbar.

Then, in the 89th minute, a Scott Macdonald slip allowed the Scots to get in behind the Canadians. Second half substitute goalkeeper Tim Kalinowski challenged the shooter but the attacker delicately lifted the ball over the prone Kalinowski who managed to get a hand to the shot, but the Scots’ Sam MacKay quickly outpaced everyone to the rebound before any Canadian defender to get their foot in.

“I am disappointed to lose in the last minute – Especially since I felt they played well in the first half, said Canadian Head Coach Richard Bate. “The pitch and the Scots age and physical advantage took its toll towards the end of the game but we were naive to get caught out in the last minute.

“Generally speaking, it’s the first time that some of them have played and the fact that it’s the first time that they played together, I think they did quite well under the circumstances.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006
International Friendly
Kynoch Park
Keith, Scotland

CANADA – 0 (0)
SCOTLAND – 1 (0)

Goals: CANADA – none; SCOTLAND – MacKay 89
Cautions: CANADA - none; SCOTLAND – none
Expulsions: none

CANADA: 1-Jaswinder Gill (19-Tim Kalinowski, 76); 2-Fabrice Lassonde; 3-Scott Macdonald; 4-Mozesh Gyorio; 5-Marcus Haber; 6-Liam Smith; 7-Sean Rosa (15-Derek Gaudet, 46); 8-Michael Pereira; 9-Todd Rutledge; 10-Dane Roberts (16-Brandon Bonifacio, 46); 11-Kennedy Owusu-Ansah (13-Drew Smith, 68)

Head Coach: Richard Bate (ENG)
Subs not used: 14-Eddie Sidra; 17-Robbie Giezen; 18-Brayden Volkenant

[Joe MacCarthy]

Men’s U-18 Team
Friday, April 14, 2006
Canada’s U18s Fall Short Against Scotland
http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2423

Ottawa, Ontario – In it's second game of a two-match series against Scotland, Canada’s Men’s U-18 National Team lost by an identical score of 1-0 in Banff, Scotland yesterday.

The Canadians surrendered the opener to Scotland just after the half-hour mark but despite three or four solid chances to equalize, could not find that elusive first goal of the tour.

The young Canadians actually had the first real chance of the match when after just six minutes; Sean Rosa got the better of his defender along the right touchline and swung a cross into the Scottish area. Canadian striker Todd Rutledge was the first to react to the cross but the Scottish keeper did well to push the early chance around the left post.

Ten minutes later, Canadian keeper Jaswinder Gill was forced to save from close range when he challenged for a deep cross with a Scottish attacker but could not hold the cross and was forced to fist away the quick shot.

Canada again had a chance to grab the lead when Fabrice Lassonde dribbled through two defenders in the middle of the park and then found Derek Gaudet’s slicing run into the box. However, Gaudet could not get the ball to settle, allowing the Scottish goalkeeper time to challenge and control Gaudet’s loose touch.

But a moment of lax defending gave the Scots their chance and they took it.

Scottish striker Paul McAulay was allowed to dribble unabated toward the top of the area and lashed a shot toward Gill. Gill stopped the initial shot but McAulay followed up on his own rebound and slotted home the match opener.

The Scots almost made it two in the early moments of the second half when their midfielder broke through at the right corner of the Canadian penalty area and tested Gill from a tight angle but the big keeper did well to get his angles correct and made the save look somewhat routine.

Second half substitute Kennedy Owusu-Ansah then had Canada’s best chance to draw level when he received pass in the centre of the park then sped past two defenders only to find himself one on one with the keeper. The Toronto-native did well to round the keeper but his attempt at goal was superbly blocked by a recovering defender.

“I was very pleased with our performance this evening,” said Head Coach Dick Bate immediately following the defeat. “The way we played, allowed us to create three one on one chances against the goalkeeper.

“We should have won today but the encouraging thing is that I believe we have made great progress in the last ten days.”

Thursday, April 13, 2006
International Friendly
Princess Royal Stadium Banff, Scotland

CANADA – 0 (0)
SCOTLAND – 1 (1)

Goals: CANADA – none; SCOTLAND – McAulay 35
Cautions: CANADA – none; SCOTLAND – none
Expulsions: none

CANADA: 1-Jaswinder Gill (19-Tim Kalinowski, 80); 18-Brayden Volkenant; 14-Eddie Sidra; 2 -Fabrice Lassonde (13-Drew Smith, 68); 5-Marcus Haber; 6-Liam Smith; 7-Sean Rosa (11-Kennedy Owusu-Ansah, 54); 16-Brandon Bonifacio; 9-Todd Rutledge (3-Scott Macdonald, 65); 17-Robbie Giezen (10-Dane Roberts, 75); 15-Derek Gaudet (4-Mozesh Gyorio, 87)

Head Coach: Richard Bate (ENG)
Subs not used: 8-Michael Pereira