KANSAS CITY, Kan. – If Canada's Under-23 team are going to make any noise in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying, they can't afford another game like their opener – and they don't have much time to figure out the answers.
Still, coach Benito Floro doesn't expect to deviate far from his philosophy of staying compact on defense and creating chances through set pieces when Canada continue Group A play against Panama on Saturday.
“There is something important to believing in our system,” Floro told reporters after Canada opened the tournament with a 3-1 loss to the United States on Thursday. “I think the team played well and controlled the game, but we need to not concede any goals.”
The Canadians played solid, compact defense for much of their opener, but backline lapses early and late let the Americans take all three points and the early group lead.
Still, things could be worse.
Panama and Cuba split the points with a 1-1 draw in Thursday's early game – so while Canada sit bottom of the group after one match, they also are in a position to make something good happen on Saturday at Sporting Park
“We need to get a result against Panama,” midfielder and captain Samuel Piette told reporters after the opener. “That's really important. We have to try to get three points, and then after go into the Cuba game with a lot of confidence and try to get three points there as well.”
The Panamanians were a study in contrast against Cuba in the opener. They looked disorganized – even disinterested – on defense in the first half before finally asserting themselves after the break, even after going down a man in the 78th minute when defender Fidel Escobar was sent off for a straight-red tackle.
“Cuba dominated the first half of the game,” Floro said, this time speaking in Spanish through a translator. “They played really well and controlled the ball. But when it came to the all-around game, Panama was a great team and managed with 10 players. They did a great job.”
Steve Brisendine covers soccer in Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
