USA continues Olympic Qualifying dream with win over Canada

SANDY, Utah (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team got two two second half goals from Marc Pelosi and Jerome Kiesewetter to beat Canada 2-0 in the 2015 CONCACAF Men’s Qualifying Championship third place match and keep alive its quest to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. The USA now advances to a March playoff against Colombia for the right to attend the 2016 Olympics.

The match was dominated by the U.S. from the first whistle. The U-23s immediately broke on the attack and Canada was challenged defensively throughout the first half. Despite producing a number of chances, the USA could not convert on any, but in its repeated attacks did draw a pair of yellow cards from Giuliano Frano, which resulted in his being sent of in the the 44th minute and gave the U.S. a one man advantage in the second half.

Canada shifted its defense adjustment in the second half, playing with 10 men and loaded up the box with defenders as the USA piled on attack after attack. Finally in the 69th minute off a corner kick the ball bounced out to the top of the box, where Marc Pelosi blasted a shot that went into the right corner of goal and gave the U.S. the lead. With the score advantage Canada was forced to pull defenders up and the U.S. capitalized with Jerome Kiesewetter attacking to earn a penalty kick and then stepping up to take and bury it in the 84th minute to ice the game. The goal was Kiesewetter’s fourth of the tournament, which earned him the golden boot.

The playoff with Colombia will be a home and away series that will be played in March for the right to attend the 2016 Olympics.

-U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team Match Report-

Match: U.S. U-23 MNT vs. Canada
Date: Oct. 13, 2015
Competition: 2015 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship – Third Place
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Kickoff: 5 p.m. MT
Attendance: TBA
Weather: 74 degrees; Sunny

Scoring Summary:             1          2          F                                   
USA                                        0          2          2
CAN                                       0          0          0

USA – Marc Pelosi                                                  69th minute
USA – Jerome Kiesewetter (penalty)                   84

Lineups:
USA: 12-Ethan Horvath; 13-Matt Polster, 3-Matt Miazga, 4-Cameron Carter-Vickers, 15-Marc Pelosi; 17-Jerome Kiesewetter (2-Boyd Okwuonu, 90+1), 14-Fatai Alashe, 6-Wil Trapp (capt.), 7-Dillon Serna (10-Luis Gil, 73); 11-Alonso Hernandez (8-Emerson Hyndman, 63), 9-Jordan Morris
Subs not used: 1-Zack Steffen, 5-Will Packwood, 18-Charlie Horton, 19-Maki Tall, 20-Gboly Ariyibi
Head coach: John Hackworth

CAN: 1-Maxime Crepeau; 3-Giuliano Frano, 5-Lucas Gasparotto, 6-Christopher Mennella (8-Jay Chapman, 62), 9-Anthony Jackson-Hamel (16-Mo Babouli, 87), 10-Caleb Clarke, 11-Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, 13- Michael Petrasso, 14-Sam Piette (capt.), 19-Skylar Thomas, 20-Dylan Carreiro (2-Jonathan Grant, 45)
Subs not used: 4-Jackson Farmer, 7-Mauro Eustaquio, 12-Quillan Roberts, 15-Ben Fisk, 17-Hanson Boakai, 18-Ricky Gomes
Head coach: Roberto Floro

Stats Summary: USA / CAN
Shots: 28 / 3
Shots on Goal: 12 / 3
Saves: 3 / 10
Corner Kicks: 10 / 4
Offside: 1 / 0
Fouls: 8 / 12

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Marc Pelosi (caution)                                 16th minute

CAN – Anthony Jackson-Hamel (caution)          24
CAN – Giuliano Frano (caution)                           32
CAN – Giuliano Frano (caution)                           44
CAN – Giuliano Frano (ejection)                          44

Officials:
Referee: Luis Santander (MEX)
1st Referee: Israel Valenciano (MEX)
2nd Referee: Ronaldo de la Cruz (GUA)
4th Official: Karl Tyrell (JAM)