Foxboro, MA – Canada’s Men’s National Team will conclude Group B action of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup\u0099 today at Gillette in Foxboro, MA when they entertain Cuba at 9pm ET.
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\u200bIf the Canadians hope to advance beyond the opening round, they must win tonight and hope that results in Miami fall their way (see below). In fact, since the Colombia vs. Trinidad match in South Florida will have concluded by the time the Canadians kickoff this evening, the young Canucks will know just what they need to do in order to stay alive and book their passage to Houston, TX for the Quarter-finals.
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\u200bThe last meeting between Canada and Cuba was almost two years ago to the day (July 14, 2003). On that day, Canada stumbled to a 2-0 defeat after defeating Costa Rica just 2 days previous. The loss had eliminated Canada from the 2003 Gold Cup and was the last game for Canada’s then-Head Coach Holger Osieck. Only four players from that team are on the 2005 team \u0096 Kevin McKenna, Atiba Hutchinson, Iain Hume, and Chris Pozniak. On the flip-side, more than half of the Cuban team in 2003 is back for 2005.
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\u200bThe United States will host Costa Rica in curtain-raiser in Foxboro, MA on Tuesday, July 12 at 7pm ET. Both teams have already secured berths in the next round and will play tonight for first and second.
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\u200bGAME-DAY INFORMATION
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\u200bTeams \u0096 Canada vs. Cuba
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\u200bCompetition \u0096 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup\u0099
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\u200bVenue \u0096 Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, USA
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\u200bKickoff \u0096 9:00pm ET
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\u200bTV (Canada)
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\u200b\u0095Rogers Sportsnet Pacific \u0096 6pm PT/7pm MT/8pm CT/9pm ET (LIVE)
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\u200b\u0095Rogers Sportsnet West \u0096 6pm PT/7pm MT/8pm CT/9pm ET (LIVE)
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\u200b\u0095Rogers Sportsnet Digital \u0096 6pm PT/7pm MT/8pm CT/9pm ET (LIVE)
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\u200b\u0095Rogers Sportsnet Ontario \u0096 10pm PT/11pm MT/12am CT/1am ET
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\u200b\u0095Rogers Sportsnet East \u0096 10pm PT/11pm MT/12am CT/1am ET
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\u200bTV (USA)
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\u200b\u0095Galavision \u0096 6pm PT/7pm MT/8pm CT/9pm ET (LIVE)
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\u200bProbable Starting Line-up \u0096 CANADA: 1\u0096SUTTON Greg; 2\u0096BRAZ Adam; 3\u0096POZNIAK Chris; 4-MCKENNA Kevin; 5\u0096GERVAIS Gabriel; 6\u0096BERNIER Patrice; 9\u0096GERBA Ali; 10\u0096OCCEAN Olivier; 12\u0096GRANDE Sandro; 13\u0096HUTCHINSON Atiba; 14\u0096DE ROSARIO Dwayne
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\u200bSubs: 7\u0096HUME Iain (Inj.); 8\u0096SERIOUX Adrian (Susp.); 11\u0096BRENNAN Jim; 15\u0096SIMPSON Josh; 16\u0096LEDUC Patrick; 17\u0096PETERS Jaime; 18\u0096DODDS Rhian; 33\u0096FRANKS Mike
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\u200bInjuries \u0096 HUME (quadriceps \u0096 questionable)
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\u200bSuspensions \u0096 SERIOUX (sent off 9/7/04 vs. USA)
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\u200bLast Meeting\u0085
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\u200bJuly 14, 2003 \u0096 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
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\u200bGillette Stadium – Foxboro, MA
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\u200bCanadat0 (0)
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\u200bCuba t2 (1)
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\u200bCautions: Canada – Paul Stalteri (45+), Paul Fenwick (67); Cuba – Jaime Colome (34)
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\u200bGoals: Cuba – Lester More (13, 46)
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\u200bCanada: 22-Lars Hirschfeld; 2-Paul Fenwick; 3-Richard Hastings (9-Carlo Corazzin, 76); 5-Jason deVos (C); 7-Paul Stalteri; 8-Daniel Imhof; 10-Kevin McKenna; 11-Martin Nash (13-Atiba Hutchinson, 81); 12-Nick Dasovic; 15-Maycoll Canizalez (17-Iain Hume, 46); 16-Chris Pozniak; Head Coach Holger Osieck.
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\u200bSubs not used: Pat Onstad; Jason Bent; Nevio Pizzolitto; Davide Xausa; Carlo Corazzin
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\u200bCuba: 1-Odelin Molina; 3-Jeniel Marquéz; 4-Silvio Pedro Miñoso; 5-Alexander Cruzata; 6-Liván Pérez ; 7-Jorge Ramírez ; 10-Lester Moré; 13-Maikel Galindo Castañeda (9-Lazaro Dalcourt, 81); 14-Jaime Colome; 16-Reizander Fernández (2-Nayuri Rivero, 57); 17-Pedro Adriani Faife
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\u200bWhat It Will Take\u0085
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\u200bThere are a few scenarios that would allow Canada to advance to the Quarter-finals of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup \u0096 all involve a Canadian victory over Cuba on Tuesday evening. However, Canada could defeat Cuba but still not qualify if some of the results on Tuesday and Wednesday don’t go their way. The first tie-breaker between teams in separate groups will be goal-difference. The second will be goals for in group play. If the teams are still tied, lots will be drawn.
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\u200bIf Trinidad wins over Colombia and Mexico secures a single point against Jamaica, Canada will be eliminated.
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\u200bHere are the scenarios that would lead to qualification for the Quarter-finals \u0096
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\u200bIf Trinidad draws with Colombia 0-0, Canada must defeat Cuba by 4-0 to advance. If Canada defeats Cuba 3-0, lots would then be drawn. If Trinidad draw the match with Colombia but manage to score, Canada must score four more goals than T&T in order to claim one of the two best 3rd place positions.
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\u200bIf Colombia defeats Trinidad 1-0, Canada must defeat Cuba 3-0 to advance. If Canada defeats Cuba 2-0, lots would then be drawn. If Colombia manages to score or win by more than one goal, Canada must score two more goals than Colombia in order to claim one of the two best 3rd place positions.
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\u200bThe other scenarios are far less likely to occur. They involve a huge Mexico loss to Jamaica on Wednesday, July 13, coupled with a big Canada win over Cuba.
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\u200bSeeing Red\u0085
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\u200bCanada’s Adrian Serioux will miss the final opening round match against Cuba after receiving a red card for a second bookable offense. In Canada’s opening game, Calgary’s Kevin McKenna was also given his marching orders late in the game. The Canucks have received nine yellow cards and two red cards in just two games at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
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\u200bYouth Movement\u0085
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\u200bAlmost 70% of Canada’s 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup Team had less than 10 caps prior to this year’s tournament. In comparison, the US team that played Canada on July 9, 2005 had an average of 32 caps per person with only 33% having fewer than ten caps.
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\u200bThe average age of Canada’s squad is approximately 25 years old. Brossard’s Gabriel Gervais is the oldest player in the team at 28 years, 10 months while the youngest is Jaime Peters (Pickering, ON) at 18 years, 2 months.
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\u200bAbout the GOLD CUP\u0099\u0085
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\u200bThe eighth edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup\u0099 will take place in a record seven stadia in six cities across the USA from 6-24 July. The 2005 event features more games in more cities than ever before will once again crown the region’s top national team.
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\u200bGroup A will be based in Miami’s Orange Bowl, and will feature Central American Qualifiers Honduras and Panama, Trinidad & Tobago from the Caribbean and one of two guest teams, Colombia.
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\u200bGroup B will be playing its games in Seattle’s Qwest Field before moving to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro near Boston. The group features Central American champions Costa Rica, both Canada and the USA from North America and Cuba from the Caribbean.
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\u200bThe final group, Group C, will see games between the other guest team, South Africa, Central American qualifier, Guatemala, recently-crowned Caribbean champions, Jamaica and the reigning CONCACAF Gold Cup\u0099 champions Mexico. Group C games take place in two venues in the Los Angeles Area, Carson’s Home Depot Center and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, before moving to Reliant Stadium in Houston for the last day of first round play.
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\u200bThe quarterfinal matches, taking place on Saturday, 16 July (two games in Foxboro), and Sunday, 17 July (two games in Houston) will comprise of the first and second-placed team from each of the three groups along with the two best-finishing third-place teams.
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\u200bThe 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup\u0099 semifinals and final are scheduled for Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Thursday, 21 July and Sunday, 24 July, respectively.
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