Team USA Challenges Canada to Jumpstart FIH Hockey World League Round 2 Campaign
Canada Rises Above Team USA with a 2-4 Score
TACARIGUA, Trinidad & Tobago – March 25, 2017 – The U.S. Men’s National Team traveled to the Caribbean Islands of Trinidad and Tobago as one of the eight international squads to contend in the 2017 FIH Hockey World League Round 2 tournament. Clinching an invite to the event as a result of an undefeated performance at FIH Hockey World League Round 1, USA now looks to solidify one of the top-two placements to continue their quest to the 2018 World Cup. Locked in Pool A, the USMNT faced off against Canada, Rio 2016 Olympic Games participant with a FIH Hero World Ranking of 11th, the highest seating of the eight squads.
Under 90-degree heat, Canada gained possession in the opening minutes of play, cutting in front of USMNT midfielders in an attempt to build a numbers up situation. Aki Kaeppeler (Stuttgart, Germany) and Mohan Gandhi (Ventura, Calif.) linked together at the bottom right corner of the pitch to deny Canada early entry into their offensive circle. Transitioning downfield after grabbing the ball off of the opponent’s stick, possession was fed to Kaeppeler from the right sideline. He ran full tilt toward the goal in the 5th minute, making Team USA the first to enter the attack circle. The opportunity was short lived as Canadian defense pressed hard to create a turn over near the baseline.
Presented with a test, USMNT goalkeeper Brandon Karess (Allentown, Pa.) ran off the goal line to meet a threatening Canadian forward at the top of the circle. Karess won the play and booted the ball for an outlet pass. USA’s backline continued to endure pressure. One of Canada’s back-to-back penalty corner opportunities prevailed when Keegan Pereira’s shot connected with the backboard to give Canada a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute.
Canada came into the second quarter with momentum to earn their third penalty corner of the match in the 19th minute. Although Tyler Sundeen’s (Simi Valley, Calif.) fast fly attempt halted the initial strike, Canada retrieved the ball to drive hard into circle, netting a goal at close range by Gabriel Ho-Garcia. With the scoreboard now showing USA 0, Canada 2, the red, white and blue looked to regroup and generate their own offensive. Long leading passes creased through the midfield courtesy of Adam Miller (Panama, Fla.) didn’t meet another USA stick. In the 21st minute Canada trailed into their attacking domain to force USA defense to make an error, translating into another penalty corner chance. The hard, straight hit was bound for the backboard until Kaeppeler denied the ball’s path with a clean stick save from the corner low left post. Canada closed out the halftime with a penalty corner but the drag flick nailed the post, keeping the score USA 0, Canada 2.
Off the pushback, Team USA took the ball with speed to create passing patterns at the attack 25-yard line with no luck breaking into the circle. The final minutes of the third quarter proved full of action. Canada earned a stroke opportunity when a goal-bound ball hit a USA foot. Scott Tupper drove a low, sharp play past Karess’ reach bringing the score to USA 0, Canada 3. Retaliating, USA earned their first penalty corner but Kaeppeler’s direct shot went wide of the left post. The USA would prove triumphant off their first penalty corner in the 46th minute when Will Holt’s (Camarillo, Calif.) drag flick slide into the cage changing the score, USA 1, Canada 3.
The final minutes of the match held high tempo with Canada’s Gordon Johnston scoring another goal to shape the score to USA 1, Canada 4. Firing back in the 55th minute, USA’s Ruben Van Dam (Varkenswaard, The Netherlands) drove the ball into the net to cut Canada’s lead in half. Despite the second half effort, the final score was recorded at USA 2, Canada 4.
Along with the achievement of getting to represent his country and wear red, white and blue, USMNT defender Van Dam earned his first cap today.
The USMNT will be back on the turf tomorrow, Sunday, March 26 at 1:15 p.m. EST to continue pool play against Barbados, FIH Hero World Ranked 49th.
For more information on FIH Hockey World League Round 2, including schedule, results, news and more, visit the FIH Hockey World League Round 2 event page on usafieldhockey.com.