Knight: Breaking out against Brazil

Knight: Breaking out against Brazil


Canada could have scored six or seven goals.
In a soaring performance – where courage replaced caution, and talent sealed the gaps – Canada's men's World Cup squad threw everything they had at Brazil in a riveting friendly match in Seattle.
That they lost ultimately – 3-2 – doesn't really matter. Losing to Brazil is an occupational hazard in world soccer. The superb news was never in the result. It was all about how Canada played.
Last year, under interim head coach Stephen Hart, Canada surprised all of CONCACAF with the poise and precision of their play in the 2007 Gold Cup. Coherent, patient control at the back, a feisty, forward-pushing midfield and a hungry, well-supplied attack lifted the Canucks to within a whisker of the regional championship game. Fans were thrilled. Critics were encouraged.
But then, last fall, the head coaching torch passed to Dale Mitchell, fresh off of a terrible run as Canada's youth coach at the Under-20 World Cup. In ensuing games – South Africa, Estonia, Martinique – Canada looked tentative, gun-shy, far too easy to sweep aside. The creeping concern? Mitchell would be overly cautious, and this creative, hard-running roster would never reach its potential.
And then – against Brazil – Canada could have scored six or seven goals.
This was a very good Brazil team, by the way. No Kaka or Ronaldinho, but plenty of pedigree. Canada got burned for a goal early, too, an in-close screen job from Diego which goalie Pat Onstad never got a clean look at.
But Canada didn't sag; didn't roll over. All of a sudden, that Gold Cup confidence returned.



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Again a great read by Mr. Knight.

I share the same optimism about Canada's wonderful playing style and willingness to attack, but at the same time am as cautious as Ben in regards to the potential for our World Cup qualifying hopes to be undone by elements of the game we have no control over.

On the game: it was so refreshing to see Canada play the way they did against Brazil. It may sound overly critical but I was genuinely upset at the loss. I went in expecting a decent performance, but in all honestly Canada could have won the game. I just hope there is more to come...this team needs all the support it can get.

psh...i dont wanna hear his excuses

He needs to do some fact checking though, Friend was 2nd in Bundesliga 2 scoring. Still a great season with 18 goals but no scoring champ

Every article Ben writes is superb. Sportsnet is retarded to have let him go.