Tag: Canada

Co-hosts Canada grabbed a second-half equalizer to draw 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday in the first World Cup finals game ever played on Canadian soil.

Cyle Larin got Canada’s goal after Jovo Lukic put Bosnia ahead with a header in the 21st minute in Toronto.

The result gave Canada its first point in World Cup history.

Canadian sides had a perfect record of futility at two previous tournament appearances in 1986 and 2022, with six losses.

Lukic’s goal from a corner sent the small but enthusiastic Bosnian contingent at the Toronto Stadium into a frenzy.

Canada had the majority of play in the first half but failed to generate any real chances.

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The stadium erupted in the 17th minute when forward Jonathan David had a clear shot on goal, but it was easily handled by Bosnian keeper Nikola Vasilj.

Canada’s Ismael Kone had a golden opportunity in the 30th minute, but sailed his strike well over the net, prompting groans from tens of thousands of Canadians who blanketed the stadium in a sea of red.

The second half began in similar fashion, with Canada largely on the attack, but unable to find the net.

Bosnia’s veteran defender Sead Kolasinac saved a certain goal when he diverted a strike from David onto the crossbar, extending Canada’s agony.

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But Larin’s strike in the 78th minute marked a high point in Canada’s limited World Cup history, causing a mostly Canadian crowd of 43,000 to erupt.

Canada threatened to go ahead in the final minutes, narrowly missing a goal near the final whistle.

Canadian entertainment royalty attended the match at the home of the MLS’s Toronto FC, including film star Ryan Reynolds, from Vancouver, and Saturday Night Live and Austin Powers star Mike Myers, a Toronto native.

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Canada midfielder Marcelo Flores was ruled out of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sunday after suffering a knee injury during Saturday’s CONCACAF Champions Cup final, head coach Jesse Marsch confirmed.

Flores, who plays for Mexican side Tigres UANL, suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in his team’s defeat to Deportivo Toluca, Marsch said.

“Obviously, we’re devastated for him,” Marsch said after confirming the 22-year-old’s exit from the World Cup.

Marsch has not yet decided on a replacement for Flores as he prepares for Canada’s friendly against Uzbekistan in Edmonton on Monday.

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Flores formally switched his allegiance to represent Canada earlier this year after previously playing for Mexico in friendly games. Flores, who was born in Canada, was eligible to play for El Tri due to his Mexican father.

Marsch, meanwhile, had a more encouraging injury update concerning Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, who was named as captain of the Canadian squad on Friday despite carrying a hamstring injury.

“He has had an MRI last week and it shows there has been really good progress, he’s typically a good healer so it’s a good sign,” Marsch said.

Canada, one of the three co-hosts of the World Cup, open their tournament against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto on June before further Group B games against Switzerland and Qatar.

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Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David were the star names in the final squad of Canada for the FIFA World Cup 2026 as coach Jesse Marsch unveiled the co-host’s 26-man roster on Friday.

Bayern Munich defender Davies was deemed sufficiently fit for inclusion despite battling a hamstring injury, while Juventus forward David leads the line for a side that has never won a World Cup game but has shot up the FIFA rankings in recent years.

Other key names included were Porto playmaker Stephen Eustaquio, box-to-box Sassuolo midfielder Ismael Kone, Villarreal duo Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi, and Southampton attacker Cyle Larin.

Also named despite injury doubts were Nice defender Moise Bombito, Norwich midfielder Ali Ahmed, Los Angeles FC winger Jacob Shaffelburg, and Promise David, a striker for Belgium’s Union SG.

“We have really our best group of 26 players that this country has ever assembled at any one time,” said Marsch.

“Are all of them right now at full 100 percent? No, but they’re close,” he added, signalling frustration at the repeated questions from the media about players’ injuries.

Each squad player’s name was unveiled and displayed on banners displayed on Toronto’s famous CN Tower.

As one of three co-hosts, along with the United States and Mexico, Canada will play all three group games on home turf.

Canada’s Group B campaign begins against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto on June 12, before shifting to Vancouver for clashes with Qatar and Switzerland.

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In two previous appearances at the World Cup, the 1986 finals in Mexico and the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Canada have a perfect record of six defeats in six matches.

But the Canadians surprised many by reaching the semi-finals of the Copa America in 2024, where they only narrowly lost on penalties to Uruguay in the third-place playoff.

Most prominent among the injury concerns has been Canada’s talisman Davies, who faces a race against time to be fit for Canada’s first game. He picked up a hamstring injury in Bayern Munich’s Champions League semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

That followed a series of muscle injuries after returning from an eight-month layoff with an ACL tear in October.

“We’ve had a pretty good idea of who our core group is for a while. The real X factor in all these decisions was to determine…which players are gonna be healthy, and who could we project to be really close to 100 per cent and in the best form of their life,” said Marsch.

“Luckily, we are on track with a lot of guys. Will everyone be 100 percent for the Bosnia match? No, that won’t be the case. But we will have a really strong core that will be ready for that match, and we believe we can get stronger as the tournament goes on.”

Much will depend on David, the most expensive Canadian footballer in history, with Lille splashing out 30 million euros ($34.8 million) to sign him in 2020.

After climbing to third on the French side’s all-time scoring list, the “Iceman” joined Serie A giants Juventus on a free transfer last summer, where his game time has been more limited.

Canada squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

Goalkeepers: Dayne St Clair (Inter Miami), Maxime Crepeau (Orlando City), Owen Goodman (Crystal Palace)

Defenders: Alistair Johnston (Celtic), Derek Cornelius (Marseille), Richie Laryea (Toronto FC), Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split), Joel Waterman (Chicago Fire), Luc de Fougerolles (Fulham), Moise Bombito (Nice), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Alfie Jones (Middlesbrough)

Midfielders: Stephen Eustaquio (Porto), Ismael Kone (Sassuolo), Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal), Mathieu Choiniere (Los Angeles FC), Ali Ahmed (Norwich City), Nathan Saliba (Anderlecht), Liam Millar (Hull City), Marcelo Flores (Tigres UANL), Jacob Shaffelburg (Toronto FC), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC)

Attackers: Jonathan David (Juventus), Cyle Larin (Southampton), Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal), Promise David (Union SG)

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday that it is investigating Cricket Canada over allegations of match-fixing, including the team’s loss to New Zealand at the recent T20 World Cup 2026, hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The game in Chennai, which Canada lost by eight wickets, is under scrutiny following allegations of corruption highlighted in a documentary aired by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) on Thursday.

“The ACU (anti-corruption unit) is aware of the programme broadcast by CBC,” Andrew Ephgrave, interim general manager of the ICC’s Integrity Unit, said in a statement.

The documentary by the public broadcaster made wide-ranging accusations of corruption and poor governance against Canada Cricket.

In the Chennai game, suspicion is focused on the fifth over bowled by captain Dilpreet Bajwa during New Zealand’s chase, according to the ESPN Cricinfo website.

He started with a no-ball, bowled a wide, and ended up conceding 15 runs in the over.

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Canada scored 173 for four wickets in 20 overs, while New Zealand replied with 176 for two off 15.1 overs.

The ICC, the game’s world governing body, is also investigating a telephone call involving then-Canada coach Khurram Chohan in which he claims that senior board members put pressure on him to select certain players, it said.

“Governance matters in relation to ICC Members are considered by the ICC, where they fall under its jurisdiction, in accordance with the ICC’s standard constitutional processes,” Ephgrave said.

Cricket Canada said it was treating the matter with “utmost importance”.

“Recent promotional material alludes to allegations related to organized crime and match-fixing — issues that Cricket Canada takes extremely seriously,” the organisation said on its website.

“Where matters are raised, we are committed to reviewing them responsibly and taking appropriate steps as needed.”

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CHENNAI: Canada’s rising star Yuvraj Samra has broken a record previously held by Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash against New Zealand at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old batter produced a remarkable innings of 110 off 65 balls, striking 11 fours and six sixes in a fearless display against a quality New Zealand bowling attack.

With this knock, Samra etched his name into the record books, becoming the youngest player ever to score a century in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

At 19 years and 141 days, Samra broke the long-standing record held by Ahmed Shehzad, who was 22 years and 127 days old when he scored his century against Bangladesh in the 2014 edition.

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The Canadian prodigy also became the first player from an Associate nation to register a hundred in the history of the Men’s T20 World Cup.

His milestone knock made him only the second batter to score a century in the 2026 tournament, following Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka.

Youngest centurions in Men’s T20 World Cup

19y 141d – Yuvraj Samra (Canada) vs New Zealand, Chennai, 2026

22y 127d – Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan) vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2014

23y 156d – Suresh Raina (India) vs South Africa, 2010

25y 83d – Alex Hales (England) vs Sri Lanka, 2014

25y 327d – Glenn Phillips (New Zealand) vs Sri Lanka, 2022

Samra’s brilliant century powered Canada to a competitive total of 173-4 against a formidable bowling lineup featuring Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson. Despite his heroics, the effort ultimately went in vain.

New Zealand chased down the target comfortably in 15.1 overs, courtesy of unbeaten half-centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips, sealing victory and overshadowing Samra’s historic night.

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CHENNAI: New Zealand stormed into the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after a commanding eight-wicket victory over Canada at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.

Chasing a challenging target of 174, New Zealand completed the task with remarkable ease, reaching 176-2 in just 15.1 overs, powered by a match-defining partnership between Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra.

The Blackcaps made a steady start through openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, who added 30 runs before Canada struck back with quick wickets.

Seifert departed for six, while Allen’s brisk 21 off eight balls, featuring two fours and a six, ended soon after.

Ravindra and Phillips then took control, combining caution with aggression in a brilliant 100-run stand that put New Zealand firmly on course.

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Phillips led the charge with a scintillating unbeaten 76 off 36 deliveries, smashing four boundaries and six sixes to register his 12th T20I half-century.

Ravindra provided solid support with 59 off 39 balls, including four fours and three sixes, bringing up his fourth T20I fifty as New Zealand sealed a comprehensive win.

Earlier, Canada posted a competitive 173-4 thanks to a superb century from Yuvraj Samra.

Opting to bat first, Canada enjoyed a strong start as Samra and skipper Dilpreet Bajwa stitched together a 116-run opening partnership.

Bajwa contributed 36 off 39 deliveries before falling in the 14th over, but Samra carried on in sublime fashion, scoring a magnificent 110 off 65 balls with 11 fours before being dismissed in the final over.

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Half-centuries from Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan rescued United Arab Emirates from a slippery chase to post a thrilling five-wicket over Canada in the T20 World Cup on Friday.

Chasing 151, the UAE looked in trouble at 66-4 in the 13th over.

But Sharma, who made an unbeaten 74, and Soahib (51) put on 84 to help them achieve their target with two balls to spare in New Delhi.

Sharma played the anchor while Sohaib took on the opposition attack with four fours and four sixes to deny Canada and hand UAE their first win in two matches in Group D.

Sohaib raised his fifty off 28 balls but fell in the last over to leave Muhammad Arfan to hit the winning run to trigger joyous celebrations.

Pace bowler Junaid Siddique set up the win with figures of 5-35 in his four overs to limit Canada to 150-7 and was named player of the match.

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“In the first innings, we thought they might be going for 160 or 170,” said Siddique.

“We bowled very well in the last few overs and knew that 150 was a chaseable total.”

Canada spinner Saad Bin Zafar impressed with 3-14 in his four overs to rattle the opposition top order.

But Sharma and Sohaib turned the chase on its head to make UAE jump to third in the group ahead of winless Afghanistan.

New Zealand and South Africa head the group with two wins from two.

They clash in Ahmedabad on Saturday, where the winner will be the first team assured of a place in the Super Eights.

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Canada have named a 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to begin on 7 February across India and Sri Lanka.

Dilpreet Bajwa will lead the side in Canada’s second T20 World Cup appearance, after their inaugural campaign in 2024.

Canada qualified for the mega event after a dominant performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Regional qualifiers, where the side remained unbeaten, winning all of their fixtures.

During the qualifiers, Shivam Sharma and Kaleem Sana were the notable performers, both scalping 11 and 10 wickets, respectively, which paved the way for them to the marquee event in India and Sri Lanka.

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Canada’s batting lineup is bolstered by Nicholas Kirton and Yuvraj Samra, who have a strike rate of 160.72.

For the unversed, the 20-team tournament is set to run from 7 February to 8 March in India and Sri Lanka.

The North American nation, slotted in Group D, will open their World Cup campaign against South Africa in Ahmedabad on 9 February 2026.

Canada Squad

Dilpreet Bajwa (C), Ajayveer Hundal, Ansh Patel, Dilon Heyliger, Harsh Thaker, Jaskarandeep Buttar, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Ravinderpal Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Shreyas Movva, Yuvraj Samra.

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Luis Suarez rescued Uruguay with an injury-time equaliser before the South Americans defeated Canada 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out to win the third-place playoff match of Copa America on Saturday.

Uruguay looked to be heading to a shock defeat after the Canadians took a 2-1 lead in the 80th minute through a Jonathan David goal at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

But former Barcelona and Liverpool star Suarez, who came on as a second-half substitute, swept in a crisp finish from Jose Gimenez in the second minute of injury time to make it 2-2 and send the game to penalties.

In the shoot-out, Canada midfielder Ismael Kone saw his spot-kick saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet before Alphonso Davies saw an attempted panenka hit the crossbar and bounce out to give Uruguay victory.

It marked a disappointing end to the Copa America for Canada, who had been on course for a famous — and deserved — victory before Suarez’s late leveller.

Uruguay had got off to a dream start with Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur firing them into the lead after just eight minutes.

Sebastian Caceres outjumped his marker to knock down for Bentancur, who turned and swivelled before rifling a shot into the roof of the net.

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The Uruguayans almost doubled their lead soon afterwards when a sweeping counter-attack left Canada’s defence scrambling to cover, only for Maximiliano Araujo’s shot to be blocked by Canada goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.

That miss proved costly as moments later Kone equalised for Canada with a superb improvised finish on 22 minutes.

Jacob Shaffelburg’s corner was met with a header by Moise Bombito, and Kone lobbed the advancing Rochet with a deft flick to make it 1-1.

Uruguay thought they had equalised almost immediately when Facundo Pellistri got the ball in the net in the 23rd minute. An offside in the build-up however saw the goal chalked off.

Canada meanwhile twice spurned golden opportunities to score just before half-time, Tani Oluwaseyi heading wide from close range on 41 minutes before Jonathan Osorio saw an effort cleared off the line in the 43rd minute.

A flurry of substitutions led to a disjointed second half, and the game seemed to be meandering to a draw until Kone surged forward from midfield 10 minutes from time and unleashed a ferocious shot that Rochet could only parry into the path of David, who tucked away the finish to make it 2-1.

But with victory beckoning, Canada continued to press forward rather than defend their lead, and duly paid the price when Uruguay got in behind their defence to set up Suarez’s equaliser.

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Lionel Messi was on target as world champions Argentina turned on the style to beat Canada 2-0 on Tuesday and reach the Copa America final where they will look for a third straight major title.

The defending Copa champions will face the winners of Wednesday’s semi-final between Uruguay and Colombia in what will be a highly anticipated final in Miami on Sunday.

The 15-times Copa champions produced their best display of the tournament in front of a capacity crowd at the 82,500 MetLife Stadium and as in their 2022 World Cup triumph they look to be peaking at the perfect moment.

“The truth is that it’s crazy what this group has done, what the Argentina national team has been doing,” Messi told TyC Sports after his first goal of the tournament.

“It’s not easy for us to be in a final again, for us to compete again to be champions. I’m living it like I lived it in the last Copa America, in the last World Cup…These are the last battles and I’m enjoying them to the maximum,” said the 37-year-old.

Canada, who surprised many by reaching the last four in their first Copa America appearance, can take great credit for their run in the tournament but Messi and company were simply a step too far.

“I think the tournament caught up with us a little bit,” said Canada’s American coach Marsch, who said he noticed that his players looked tired midway through the first half.

“Eventually the physicality and fatigue can catch up with you and that was a big part of what happened with us tonight,” he added.

Marsch’s side had progressed by hitting teams with high-energy football straight out of the gate but after an early opening for left-winger Jacob Shaffelburg, who fired wide after cutting in from the flank, the South Americans took control and never gave it up.

Angel Di Maria, the veteran wide-man playing in his final tournament for his country, was seeing plenty of the ball down the right and he offered an early warning of his threat when he picked out Messi with a ball inside which the forward flashed just wide of the post.

But it was Rodrigo De Paul who was to create the breakthrough in the 22nd minute, picking the ball up on the halfway line, taking a quick glance up and then lofting the ball over the top to Julian Alvarez.

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The Manchester City forward recalled to the starting line-up ahead of Lautaro Martinez, delivered a deft first touch that took him away from Moises Bombito and gave him just enough room to drive the ball home.

The classy triangle of Di Maria, Messi and De Paul, was a constant source of danger for Canada’s back line and the former threatened a second with a chip from the right which floated over the bar.

The assuredness of Argentina’s build-up play reflects the confidence of coach Lionel Scaloni’s team, a well-drilled unit but one that never allows their organisational solidity to dominate over their creativity.

Two minutes before the break, former Real Madrid winger Di Maria provided a slide-rule pass to Messi, who worked himself space for a shot on his right foot, but he was narrowly wide of Max Crepeau’s right-hand post.

Canada’s American coach Marsch had plenty of work to do at the interval if he was to find a way of getting his team back on level terms and any strategy went out of the window when the world champions doubled their lead, just six minutes after the restart.

The excellent De Paul pulled the ball back from the byline to Enzo Fernandez and his side-foot shot was directed home by Messi in front of goal.

For a moment Canada had hope that Messi may have been offside but the VAR review showed that defender Derek Cornelius had played him onside.

With the two-goal cushion established, Argentina were content to sit back and preserve their energy and invite the Canadians to take them on.

It was not until the final minutes though that Canada were able to trouble Emiliano Martinez with substitute Tani Oluwaseyi forcing the keeper into action after some sloppy defending.

But it was a comfortable victory for Scaloni’s men and one which leaves them one win away from a record 16th Copa America triumph.

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