FT: Canada 1 - 0 Cuba: Preview and Game Thread

Game Thread

94’ - FT - Canada grinds out a result, unsatisfactory as it is. 6 points in 2 games.

90’ - 4’ of stoppage time announced.

87’ - It’s CONCAtime. Bring out the stretcher. Cruz goes down for Cuba.

82’ - SUBSTITUTION FOR CUBA - Rodriguez out for Armello.

79’ - SUBSTITUTIONS FOR CUBA & CANADA - Monzon on for Cuba. Millar on for Davies for Canada.

76’ - Adekugbe takes a flying backflip over the boards.

72’ - CUBA SUBSTITUTION - Dario Ramos in for the last phase.

67’ - I know the tragi-comic exploits of Doneil Henry is fast becoming a modern Canadian classic, but in all fairness - Herdman maybe should’ve seen it coming? He was being targeted by the Cuban forwards nearly every attack, and he was on a yellow coming into the second half. Some of us at WTR HQ even suspect the Ref forgot he was on that yellow.

60’ - CANADA SUBSTITUTION - Larin for Cornelius. 3-5-1 formation.

55’ - Oh noes!!! Yellow Card issued to Doneil Henry for dissent. That’s two yellows. That means it’s a Red Card. Canada down to 10 men and Henry will miss the game against the USA. That SUCKS.

52’ - CANADA SUBSTITUTION - Oso for Wortherspoon.

46’ - Totally a handball on Larin there. Oh well, CONCACAF gonna CONCACAF. Canada on the front foot though.

46’ - And we’re back. Some choice comments in the thread from fellow WTR staffers.

HT - This ground is charming. Where did Cuba go for halftime? They were literally running back to the pitch.

45’ + 2’ - It’s halftime in the Cayman Islands. Might as well go for a Soda.

44’ - Is Cuba actively game-planning around Richie Lareya? Not gonna lie. That’s kinda rad.

41’ - Doneil Henry, who is on a yellow, is being forced into some dangerous battles. Espino jumps on a mistimed clearance and shoots from distance, forcing a save from our man Borjan.

39’ - Adekugbe and Larin ... no comment.

37’ - CONCACommentators having a full-on casual NPR chat about life, death, taxes, and soccer during the game. Love it when the actual game intrudes and they give it the absolute minimum lip service and return to the debate.

31’ - Yellow Card issued to Canada’s 15 Doneil Henry for a studs up challenge after Laryea left him in a 1 v 1.

28’ - Good service to MAK but no power on the header.

25’ - Yellow Card issued to Cuba’s 14 Espino for a challenge on Davies. Poor free kick taken.

22’ - I had to look up this venue. It’s kinda magic.

16’ - An unholy amount of CONCACAFing going on already. Cuba straight up assaulting players.

14’ - Larin makes a decent run into the box, Davies feeds him the ball. Larin does his best Larin impression.

9’ - Goal! CAN 1 - 0 CUBA Alphonso Davies pounces on a loose ball and sends it into the future. Phonzie gets his marker.

7’ - Still befuddled that Jonathan David’s jersey from Saturday’s game is already in the CanSoc hall of fame over something as arbitrary as “most goals in a calendar year”. That’s the kind of award you see at a telemarking firm, not sports.

4’ - J-Dave is as sleepy as this crowd and Cuba almost makes him pay for it.

2’ - At least it’s not a closed stadium? Props to the Canadian Flag taking up 6 of the better seats in the house.

1’ - And ‘ere we go ...

7:14PM - “William Johnson” LOL.

7:10PM - Tuned into the OneSoccer 24-hour channel for pre-game goodness and an Olli sighting, stayed for the canned National Anthems on a closed channel. CONCACAF Go may be gone, but not my shoddy audio mixing!

6:50PM - The parade of #content from CanSoc continues with this video Amuse-Bouche:

6:35PM - Canada Soccer doing some nice things on the socials. Thought I’d share:

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Lineups

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Preview

TORONTO, Ont. — Just three nights after a very one-sided 6-0 victory, Canada will face Cuba once again Tuesday night in Concacaf Nations League A action, this time in the Cayman Islands. Let’s relive the moment:

Canada will have to do without their recent captain and hat-trick hero Junior Hoilett, who left Canada’s camp earlier this week to return to England for family reasons, according to Canada Soccer. The Canadians will also be without midfielder Russell Teibert and Max Crepeau, who both sustained minor injuries.

The good news for Canada, however, is that Alphonso Davies is fit to play tonight after the FC Bayern Munich player finished Saturday’s contest against Cuba limping.

Toronto FC defender Richie Laryea is also expected to make his second-straight start for Canada after the 24-year-old made his national team debut Saturday night, while forward Jonathan David, who has scored in ALL seven of his starts for the national team, is likely to lead the attacking charge with Hoilett absent.

With kickoff set for 7:15 p.m. EST, the game will take place at Truman Bodden Sports Complex in the Cayman Islands due to lighting issues in Cuba’s national sporting field.

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How to watch

Match time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Stream: OneSoccer