Canada (7) v (5) Sierra Leone
Canada lifted themselves off the bottom of group F with a 7-5 win over a gutsy Sierra Leone side at Fed Square stadium on Tuesday afternoon
Canada (7) v (5) Sierra Leone
By Tim Beissmann
CANADA lifted themselves off the bottom of group F with a 7-5 win over a gutsy Sierra Leone side at Fed Square stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
Some dazzling footwork early by Canada's Perry Senko caused confusion among the opposition defenders and forced a penalty, which the classy midfielder had no trouble converting.
A second penalty, this time to Krystal Bell, was touched by the Sierra Leone keeper Mohamed Mansaray, but had too much heat and rolled into the net.
The Sierra Leone players were not deterred by an early deficit and their intensity remained high, slamming many long strikes forward and eventually earning a penalty of their own, which was easily converted by Mahmoud Bah.
A follow-up goal from the halfway mark to Mohamed Alie Jalloh had the scores all tied up at two-all.
The contest turned into a tight, physical one-on-one affair which pleased coaches from both sides.
However, three late goals to Canada - two from Senko who was proving a handful on the right post - saw the Canadians take a 5-2 lead into the long break.
Sierra Leone tried to deny their opponents the ball early in the second half, and Thomas Didymus Kargbo slotted through a clever tempo goal in the second minute.
Canada's keeper Guillermo Gonzalez Hernandez seemed to thrive off the pressure situation, celebrating tough saves and getting the crowd involved as he consistently rolled the ball deep into his side's forward line.
Two more goals to Canadian pair Senko and Basile Pagonis seemed to have put the result beyond doubt, but the Sierra Leone fans refused to abandon their team and shouted encouragement to inspire their men.
The Sierra Leone players took it up to the Canadians, playing one-on-one again, and Bah and Ahmed Juhea Barrie started the unlikely comeback, scoring to make it 7-5 with two minutes remaining.
Hernandez celebrated every important save and in the end held the ball up enough to secure victory for his country.
Photos: Photoworx