Plenty on the line for Canadian soccer
It's only a semifinal match, but for Canadian soccer, it's for all the marbles.
Canada's men's under-23 team battles the United States tonight in Nashville, Tenn., but more than a trip to the final of the CONCACAF qualifying tournament is up for grabs.
It's a bit of history, too, as a victory would earn Canada a trip to the Summer Olympics for the first time since 1984.
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"It's basically a cup final. If you win, you go to the Olympics," said Canadian coach Nick Dasovic. "If you lose, you get a consolation game.
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"If you can't get up, have enough desire, can't be pumped for that, you've probably got a character flaw.
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Thanks to Canada's plus-four goal differential, it squeezed out the Mexicans and their plus-three goal differential, to earn second place in Group B.
That set up the showdown with the United States, putting the trip to the Beijing Games on the line.
Facing the U.S. in itself provides a daunting task, never mind with so much on the line.
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"They are a good team. They're solid," said Dasovic. "They are one of the best CONCACAF teams and they are solid all the way around. We are going to have to find a way somehow to nullify what they are good at."
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U23 Canada vs USA - Olympic Game thread
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