Canada wins 1-0 over Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying match at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium

A second-half objective from Jonathan David has put Canada one step nearer to the World Cup.

David’s 57th-minute objective was all Canada wanted to beat Costa Rica 1-0 on Friday in a World Cup qualifier in entrance of 48,806 followers at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.

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The objective got here after Costa Rican goalkeeper Leonel Moreira fumbled a cross into the penalty space, leaving David to fit the ball residence.

With the win, Canada stays in third place in CONCACAF’s Octagon. Canada has 13 factors from seven matches (3-0-4) whereas Costa Rica fell to 1-3-3.

The highest three groups within the standings will earn berths for subsequent 12 months’s World Cup in Qatar. The fourth-place group will get a last-chance playoff with one other wild-card group from one other area.

Moreira began for Costa Rica due to an damage to the nationwide group’s common beginning keeper, Keylor Navas of Paris St-Germain.

The objective got here minutes after a leaping bicycle kick by Canadian winger Tajon Buchanan froze Moreira in his tracks, however the ball hit the bar – the second time the Canadians discovered the woodwork within the recreation.

The primary shut name got here within the fifteenth minute. A nook kick from hometown hero Alphonso Davies went right into a scrum of Costa Rican defenders and ricocheted off the crossbar.

READ MORE: Alphonso Davies’ return to Edmonton for World Cup qualifiers ‘makes people believe’

The sport marked the primary time Davies performed a aggressive recreation in Edmonton since his early teenagers. However all through the primary half, the Bayern Munich star was usually crowded out by two or three defenders every time he acquired near the ball.

He did get a take a look at objective within the fifteenth minute, however his shot was blocked because of a sliding effort from defender Oscar Duarte.

Davies had one other probability within the 66th minute, however he blasted his shot over the bar.

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Alphonso Davies’ return to Edmonton for World Cup qualifiers ‘makes individuals consider’

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READ MORE: Canada aims to score first but also not worried about getting behind early in World Cup qualifiers

Costa Rica’s greatest probability of the sport got here within the thirty fourth minute. Youstin Salas’s volley pressured Canadian keeper Milan Borjan right into a diving cease.

Seconds later, Salas was within the combine once more. The vast majority of followers in attendance bayed for American referee Ismail Elfath to award a penalty after Salas introduced down David within the Costa Rican field, however Elfath waved off the appeals.

Twice within the first half, the groups got here collectively in scrums after fouls, including a bit of warmth to the encounter within the chilly 1 C climate.

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The primary got here after Canadian defender Richie Laryea earned a yellow card for kicking out at Costa Rican attacker Jewison Bennette. Then within the twenty third, Bennette returned the favour, getting a yellow after one other altercation with Laryea.

Canadian defender Steven Vitoria additionally noticed yellow within the first half. Ricardo Blanco acquired a yellow within the seventieth minute for a foul on Buchanan.

Ike Ugbo made his debut in a Canada jersey, coming in as an 82nd-minute substitute. Ugbo, a former England youth worldwide, declared his intent to play for Canada final week.