Canada vs. Jamaica
2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinal
University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, Arizona
Thursday, July 20 – 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: FS1, UniMas, UDN (USA) | TSN2, RDS (Canada)
FOX Sports GO, FOX Soccer 2Go, TSN GO, univisiondeportes.com
Two teams with MLS-heavy rosters will square off in a tantalizing CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal on Thursday night, with Jamaica seeking to qualify for their second straight Gold Cup final and Canada looking to make the semifinals of the continental competition for the first time since 2007.
Both countries qualified for the quarters after going 1-0-2 in the group stage, good enough for Canada to finish second behind Costa Rica in Group A and giving Jamaica the runner-up finish behind Mexico in Group C. The winner of Thursday’s match will face the winner of Thursday’s nightcap in Glendale between Mexico and Honduras.
With neither side in the Hex, Thursday’s match is especially high-stakes for both Canada and Jamaica. Both teams have a significant contingent of MLS players on their roster, with 10 MLSers on Canada’s squad and nine players from the league on the Reggae Boyz roster. Cyle Larin is perhaps the most notable of the MLS group, with the Orlando City striker joining Canada for the quarterfinals after being left off the group stage roster following his arrest for DUI earlier this summer.
Canada
Plenty of eyes will be on Larin on Thursday night, but another young MLS attacker has turned heads for Canada at the Gold Cup. Sixteen-year-old Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Alphonso Davies has performed very well in his first senior international tournament, scoring three of Canada’s five goals despite picking up an injury in their second match that prevented him from starting their third contest.
He’s not the only youngster that showed solidly during the group stage. Sam Adekugbe, Michael Petrasso, Mark Anthony-Kaye and Samuel Piette all had a heavy presence in Canada’s first three matches, and will likely play a major role again on Thursday. How they fare – and how Larin fits in to manager Octavio Zambrano’s 4-3-3 – will go a long way in determining if Canada will qualify for their first Gold Cup semifinal in a decade.
CANADA 23-PLAYER SQUAD
Goalkeepers (3):Maxime Crepeau (Montreal Impact / MLS), Milan Borjan (MKS Korona Kielce / POL), Jayson Leutwiler (Shrewsbury Town FC / ENG)
Defenders (6): Manjrekar James (Vasas Budapest / HUN), Steven Vitoria (Lechia Gdansk / POL), Dejan Jakovic (New York Cosmos / NASL), Samuel Adekugbe (Vancouver Whitecaps / MLS), Adam Straith (FC Edmonton / NASL), Marcel de Jong (Vancouver Whitecaps / MLS)
Midfielders (13): Fraser Aird (unattached), Samuel Piette (CD Izarra / ESP), Russell Teibert (Vancouver Whitecaps / MLS), Scott Arfield (Burnley FC / ENG), Tosaint Ricketts (Toronto FC / MLS), David Junior Hoilett (Cardiff City FC / WAL), Alphonso Davies (Vancouver Whitecaps / MLS), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC / MLS), Mark-Anthony Kaye (Louisville City FC / USL), Anthony Jackson-Hamel (Montreal Impact / MLS), Patrice Bernier (Montreal Impact / MLS), Michael Petrasso (Queens Park Rangers / ENG)
Forwards (1): Lucas Cavallini (CA Penarol / URU), Cyle Larin (Orlando City)
Manager: Octavio Zambrano (Ecuador)
Jamaica
Finishing second to Mexico in the group stage is nothing for Jamaica to be too upset about, but their status as Group C runners-up didn’t prevent the Reggae Boyz’ Darren Mattocks from feeling a little peeved after their 1-1 draw against El Salvador on Sunday.
“Based on how we played, it doesn’t matter who we play if we are going to play like this, we won’t get past the quarterfinals” Mattocks told reporters following Sunday’s contest. “It wasn’t good enough. Aside from [goalkeeper] Andre [Blake], who made some fantastic saves in the game to keep it 1-0, we need a reality check. We were not good enough.”
Mattocks wasn’t pleased with his team’s effort on Sunday, but it’s been a productive tournament for the Portland Timbers speedster. He has two of Jamaica’s three goals at the Gold Cup, and bagged their lone tally in the draw against El Salvador. He’ll likely have a few good looks against Canada on Thursday. With Blake only allowing one goal in the group stage, converting just one could be enough for the 2015 Gold Cup second-place finishers to sneak past Canada.
JAMAICA 23-PLAYER SQUAD
Goalkeepers (3):Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union, USA); Damion Hyatt (Arnett Gardens FC, JAM); Dwayne Miller (Valsta Syrianska IK, SWE)
Defenders (8): Sergio Campbell (Pittsburgh Riverhounds, USA); Oniel Fisher (Seattle Sounders FC , USA); Rosario Harriott (Harbour View FC, JAM); Kemar Lawrence (New York Red Bulls, USA); Damion Lowe (Tampa Bay Rowdies, USA); Alvas Powell (Portland Timbers, USA); Ladale Richie (Montego Bay United FC, JAM); Jermaine Taylor (Minnesota United FC, USA)
Midfielders (5): Michael Binns (Portmore United FC, JAM); Ewan Grandison (Portmore United FC, JAM); Kevon Lambert (FK Vojvodina, SRB); Ricardo Morris (Portmore United FC, JAM); Je-Vaughn Watson (New England Revolution, USA)
Forwards (7): Cory Burke (Bethlehem Steel FC, USA); Owayne Gordon (Montego Bay United FC, JAM); Jermaine Johnson (Tivoli Gardens FC, JAM); Darren Mattocks (Portland Timbers, USA); Shamar Nicholson (Boys' Town FC, JAM); Dever Orgill (Wolfsberger AC, AUT); Romario Williams (Charleston Battery, USA)
Manager: Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore (Jamaica)
