Canada Olympic Qualifying [R]

[Canadian_Supporter]

Starts tomorrow....

Post all pre-post game talk in this thread.

[Canadian_Supporter]

Canadian schedule

Feb 3rd vs Honduras
Feb 5th vs USA
Feb 7th vs Panama

[Captain Canuck]

Confirmation in this Neil Davidson article that Pozniak & Masciantonio are suspended for the first match due to cards accumulated against El Salvador.

Canada faces tough road in men's Olympic qualifying soccer tournament

posted February 2 @ 17:00, EST

(CP) - Qualifying for the Olympic men's tournament is one of the toughest challenges facing a Canadian soccer side, with just 16 teams in the field compared to 32 for the World Cup and 24 for the World Youth Championship.

And CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean, only sends two teams to the Games. The challenge isn't any easier when you are missing key players and have others flying from Germany to Mexico the day before your first game.

Canada opens play Tuesday against Honduras at the CONCACAF final round qualifying tournament for under-23 players in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Because FIFA doesn't compel clubs to release players for Olympic qualifying, star striker Iain Hume remains in England with Tranmere Rovers. Terry Dunfield is also in England, with Bury, while fellow midfielder Mike Klukowski is in Belgium with his club side La Louviere.

Midfielders Julian de Guzman (Hannover 96) and Tam Nsaliwa (SSV Jahn Regensburg) were not due to arrive in the Canadian camp until late Monday after playing for their German clubs on the weekend.

De Guzman is to fly back to Germany after the Honduras game so he can rejoin Hannover for a high-profile match against Bayern Munich on the weekend. Nsaliwa does not have any such restraints, but he only played a half for his German club team Sunday because of a rib injury.

An X-ray did not turn up a break but the Canadian team does not know the extent of the injury. And it is unlikely the flight from Germany to Mexico will improve the Edmonton midfielder's comfort level.

Canada will be further hampered against Honduras by the fact that captain Chris Pozniak, a defender, and midfielder David Masciantonio are suspended for the game because of accumulation of yellow cards in the first round of qualifying.

Twamley has scouted Honduras and calls them a technically proficient team with some speed on the flanks and up front.

But he still knows his team has to at least take a point from Honduras if the game Thursday against the U.S. is to mean something.

The others in Canada's group are Panama and the U.S.

Group B features Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The top two in each pool advance to cross-over semifinals, with the two finalists qualifying for Athens.

Canada's goal will be to finish first in its pool to avoid a likely semifinal showdown with Mexico, seen as the class of the field.

"Mexico, I think, are pretty much assured of going through," Twamley said Monday from the team's hotel in Guadalajara. "It's a fight amongst the U.S., Costa Rica, Honduras, hopefully ourselves (for the other berth)."

In contrast to Canada's preparations, the Americans have been in Mexico for 10 days.

"They're sharp as tacks," according to coach Glenn Myernick. "This team is ready to play."

Canada has not qualified for the Olympic men's competition since 1984, when it was beaten by Brazil in the quarter-finals in a penalty shootout.

Twamley was awaiting word on Nsaliwa's condition before naming his starting lineup. Andrew Olivieri, a backup with the Montreal Impact, will start in goal.

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Olympic Notes: Twamley, whose contract expires at the end of the year, says it's unlikely he will be back as Olympic coach for the next cycle of qualifying. He says it's time for a change, although he has not really thought beyond the Mexico tournament. ... A new face on the Canadian team is forward Stephen Ademolu of Windsor, Ont., who plays for Cleveland State University. "He's got a lot of speed and we felt he has potential," said Twamley. ... The Canadian side in Mexico features seven players from the team that reached the quarter-finals of the world under-20 championships in November in the United Arab Emirates.

[the_baron]

Canada shoulkd beat Panama, but then we thought the same about Cuba in the Gold Cup. USA looks like a draw, as both sides are evenly matched. Honduras blow hotand cold. I think Canada will edge that contest.

[Canadian_Supporter]

Honduras 1 Canada 0

A big blow to Canada's hopes of qualifying for the 2004 Olympics. Now the Canadian team has to beat the US if they want any chance of qualifying.

[Canadian_Supporter]

Canada lost 2-0 to the US a few days back, and then they suffer a 2-1 defeat to Panama.