Davies gets Canada valuable point
Teenager scores third goal of tournament as Canadians close in on quarter-final spot
HOUSTON— Alphonso Davies scored as Canada earned a 1-1 draw against Costa Rica on Tuesday in the preliminary round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The16-year-old Davies’ third goal in two games came in the 26th minute and helped the Canadian men’s soccer team move one step closer to qualifying for the knockout rounds of the tournament.
Francisco Calvo replied for Costa Rica in the 42nd minute, heading in a corner kick. Canada now has four points through two games, which is generally enough to qualify for the quarter-finals, but there is still one game to play against Honduras on Friday night in Frisco, Texas.
With a young, new core showing early promise, it was a lovely buildup that led to Canada’s goal.
Michael Petrasso sent midfielder Scott Arfield on his way with a pass on the right side. Arfield then crossed over and Davies timed his run perfectly to sneak past a Costa Rican defender and slot in his left-footed shot.
Canada nearly saw out the half with the lead but Calvo eluded defenders Steven Vitoria and Samuel Adekugbe and headed in the equalizer.
Goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who left Canada’s first game against French Guiana in this tournament with a black eye from a collision with teammate Samuel Piette, was back in goal and kept Canada in the game with a number of fine saves. Costa Rica’s David Guzman unleashed a powerful right-footed effort but Borjan dove to his left and pushed away the shot with his right hand.
Davies ended up coming out in the 69th minute with what appeared to be an ankle injury. It didn’t seem too severe as he walked to the Canadian bench.
Canada hopes to advance to the quarter-finals of the biennial Gold Cup for the first time since 2009.