Field Hockey Canada > Canada defeats host USA in Chula Vista

Canada defeats host USA in Chula Vista

February 27, 2011 | Field Hockey Canada | fieldhockey.ca

Canada defeats host USA in Chula Vista

February 26, 2011

The Canadian men’s national team defeated the United States 2-1 Saturday afternoon in their fifth match of their tour in San Diego.  Connor Meakin and Devohn Teixeria scored for Canada.

The game was pushed back for three and a half hours due to torrential rainfall.  A volunteer grounds crew spent over an hour using squeegees to remove the gallons of water that sat atop a slow draining field.  The field remained water logged – but the game was given the thumbs up to go ahead.

Canada dominated possession in the first half. They moved the ball with ease around the back and generated many attacks through aerial balls from Scott Tupper.  Canada had three legitimate goal scoring chances in the first quarter of the match.  Devohn Teixeria found himself one on one with the the American keeper Tom Sheridan.  Devohn made a terrific move on the keeper and looked to hit a diving tomma hawk.  However the ball trickled just out of his reach and the opportunity was lost.

Philip Wright found himself with the ball a few metres from the American net.  Keegan Pereira did a terrific job to set Philip up by eliminating American defenders along the baseline.  Wright’s shot hit an American foot en route to the net and Canada earned a penalty corner.

The American’s looked dangerous on two counter attacks.  Canadian keeper Geoff Houghton was called on to make two terrific saves to keep the game scoreless.  Houghton also received some help from Gordon Johnson.  Gordon saved the ball off the goal line after Houghton was drawn off the goal line leaving the net empty.

Canadian captain Scott Tupper was sent off with a yellow card with six minutes to go in the half.  Scott slid into a tackle as the American made a move to pull the ball around Scott.  The ball was bounced off Scott’s knee and he was sent off for 5 minutes.

The skies opened up in the second half making the field play even slower than the first.  Richard Hildreth took control of the mid-field distributing the ball throughout the field of play.

Canada scored in the first goal in the match.  Connor Meakin’s sliding sweep hit finished off a terrific pass from Keegan Pereira.

The American’s evened up the match in the 58th minute off a penalty corner.  Jon Ginolfi struck a beautiful ball from the top of the circle beating a sprawling Houghton stick side.

Canada took the lead two minutes later after Hudson Stewart took down a scoop from Tupper and sent the ball to Devohn.  Devohn calmly slid the ball five-hole on Sheridan.

Ian Smyth took Canada’s second yellow card after an apparent hard tackle with under three minutes to go in the match.  The American’s were unable to take numerical advantage and the game ended by a score of Canada two – America one.

The final match of the Canadian tour goes Sunday at 8:00am.

 

Roster

Devonh Teixeira
Taylor Curran
Philip Wright
Keegan Pereira
Richard Hildreth
Nick Hignel
Gordon Johnson
Kevin Laidman
Ben Martin
Conor Meakin
Elliott Marsh
Ian Smythe
Hudson Stewart
Geoff Houghton (GK)
Scott Tupper (C)
Jesse Watson


DNP: Adam Froese, Mark Pearson, Brenden Bissett, and Antoni Kindler