Canada is through to the quarter-finals of the Gold Cup. On the last day of group play, the Canucks beat El Salvador 2-0. It was a heated match.
Canada got off to a flying start in the Gold Cup with a 6-0 win over Honduras, but this was followed by a sobering 1-1 draw with Curacao. On the last day of the group stage, another win was needed to secure top spot in the group. The opponents were El Salvador, who had only picked up one point so far and therefore also needed a win.
There was a lot at stake, so the game started heatedly. After 16 minutes, Ortiz was shown a yellow card for a rough foul on Shaffelburg on the touchline. Less than 20 minutes later, Ortiz brought down Sigur and was sent off (35′). This gave Canada the advantage, and they had a great chance to take the lead shortly before half-time, but Lille’s outgoing striker David missed a penalty.
Straight red for an elbow strike
But that wasn’t the end of the first half, as El Salvador was reduced to ten men once again: Henriquez was shown a straight red card after a VAR review for an elbow strike on Johnston (45+9).
Canada went into the second half with a two-man advantage, and it didn’t take long for them to take the lead: David made up for his earlier miss from the spot and finished from 14 meters into the right corner (53′). Just three minutes later, Buchanan appeared unmarked in front of goal and the Villarreal man fired the ball into the center of the net (56′).
El Salvador was beaten, and Canada easily held on to its lead. The Canucks advanced to the quarterfinals as group winners. They will face Guatemala on Monday (1 a.m. CEST).
