This Day in Football from 19-25 November

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 21 November 1981
​In a must-win match, Canada draws 2:2 with Cuba in its final FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match. Canada leaves the field “knowing that one more goal would have clinched us a berth to the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain.” Wes McLeod and Robert Iarusci score for Canada in the draw. Of note, captain Iarusci sets a new national record by making his 18th consecutive appearance for Canada.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 22 November 2006
​Canada wins 4:0 over Jamaica in the 2006 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier semi-final. With the victory, Canada qualifies for the FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007. Christine Sinclair scores two goals in the victory.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 22 November 2011
​Canada wins 2:1 over Sweden in a Women’s International Friendly match in Phoenix, AZ. Canada sets a national record with 14 wins in a single season. Substitute Chelsea Buckland evens the score in the 75th minute with her first international goal. Christine Sinclair then scores the winner late in added time (her 120th international goal). Emily Zurrer becomes the 25th player to make her 50th appearance for Canada.

THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL: 25 November 1988
​Canada qualifies for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Scotland 1989 (then known as the FIFA U-16 World Tournament). In front of a packed National Stadium in Port of Spain, Canada holds host Trinidad and Tobago to a 0:0 draw in the second-to-last match at the 1988 CONCACAF Men’s Under-16 Championship. Said coach Bert Goldberger, “we played a very strong defensive match and earned the point.” Canada will go on to finish third at the continental tournament. While Scotland 1989 will be Canada’s second participation in a FIFA U-17 World Cup, it marks the first time Canada qualifies through competition (after qualifying as hosts for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Canada 1987).