Canada qualifies for U-17 World Cup; Aleman scores wonder goal

Canada is going to the U-17 World Cup for the first time since 1995. A headed goal from Chris Nanco, and an absolute rocket (and candidate for goal of the tournament) from TFC Academy’s Keven Aleman gave Canada a 2-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago Wednesday in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Canada scored both of its goal inside the 20-minute mark and cruised the rest of the way, content to knock the ball around a very bumpy and undpredictable surface and forcing T&T to try and come to them. Canada remains the only team in the tournament that has yet to concede a goal. Four CONCACAF teams, plus hosts Mexico, qualify for this year’s U-17 World Cup; all semifinalists from this tournament move on. For, the Canadian players, punching their tickets to Mexico has always been their No. 1 goal. Now, the semi-finals and, possibly, the final is just gravy. Nanco’s goal came after the ball was headed around the T&T penalty area. Standing at the far post, he was in the right place at the right time to head past T&T keeper Quesi Weston. But Aleman’s strike was a sight to behold. He ran with the ball down the left, channel, where he was met by a wall of four T&T defenders. He cut across them towards the middle of the park — still outside the box. Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to beat all of them, he unleashed a left-footed drive that gave Weston no chance. The only shame was that the stadium in Montego Bay was pretty well empty, as has been the case for all of the U-17 games not involving Jamaica.