Rebounding from a disappointing performance against Guadeloupe, the Canadian national team eliminated Haiti from the Gold Cup on Monday, denying the islanders 2-0.
In a performance which saw Canada climb to the tournament’s quarterfinals, striker Dwayne De Rosario scored both goals in the span of three minutes during the first half. The Canadian forward put his team on the board in the 32nd minute, receiving a ball from teammate Paul Stalteri and booting it in just behind the far post.
De Rosario scored the game winner three minutes, after Haiti’s Pierre-Richard Bruny jostled Canadian Issey Nakajima-Farran inside the penalty area. Taking the set-piece, De Rosario found the back of the net with a low shot that rocketed past goalkeeper Gabart Fenion’s outstretched fingers.
During the second half, the Canadians sat back and played a solid defense as the Haitian forwards sought to equalize the score. Where the first half was characterized by De Rosario’s marksmanship, the Canadians took the second half largely through the skill of keeper Pat Onstad. Onstad, who missed Canada’s loss to Guadeloupe because of an MLS obligation, rebounded from a hard collision with Haitian Ricardo Pierre-Louis to keep the Haitians scoreless until the final whistle.
“Luckily, Pat is made of some tough stuff,” Canada’s head coach Stephen Hart told the Canadian press after the game. “He stood in there.”
Canada is one of only three nations to have won the Gold Cup, the other two being Mexico and the United States.