"Canada Soccer's Women's U-17 National Team and Canadian referees have all departed Nicaragua and are safely on their way back to Canada. Canada Soccer supports the decision of Concacaf to cancel the 2018 Concacaf Women's Under-17 Championship in Managua, Nicaragua and will continue to work with Concacaf to ensure that safety remains the priority."

“It’s going to be great. They’re our rivals so everyone’s going to be psyched,” said Clarke, who converted Ben Fisk’s corner kick in the first half and John Dollery’s cross in the second. “I’m pumped for the game. I think it will be a really great game. We beat them already in Spain and I definitely think we can beat them again.”

All Canada will need to do is get a draw with Nicaragua Friday to get into the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

On Tuesday, Dasovic named his preliminary 23-man roster for the CONCACAF U-209 Championship. The team will gather Feb. 11 in Mexico City for a pre-tournament camp. And, right before the team plays its Feb. 18 opener in Puebla against Cuba, Dasovic will need to pare the roster down to 20 players.

Nick Dasovic spoke with FC Edmonton’s front office about the vacant coaching position, but he remains committed to the Canadian U-20 program.

Two great moments of indivual skill from Ryan Johnson ensured that Toronto FC’s CONCACAF Champions League campaign will continue into the group stages.

“I know exactly what to expect,” said Johnson. “I know the fields aren’t going to be good. I know it’s going to be very humid, it’s going to be a pretty hostile atmosphere. They’re going to have all their friends and family supporting them, but it’s for us to stay together as a team and support each other on the field, on the bench — everybody."

"I went to pick it up like I've picked up a million balls like that," Kocic said. "It was wet grass and then all of a sudden dry grass I was sliding on and the dry grass flipped me over the ball....It's unacceptable, obviously. The mistake shouldn't happen but that's sport, what can I say?"

Now that Toronto FC has the Canadian title, it will host Nicaraguan reps Real Esteli in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League preliminary stage on July 27, the exact same time that the MLS All-Stars will take on Manchester United at Red Bull Arena. Hmm. A game that means something in an international competition or an exhibition match? Well, that’s a no-brainer, right?

As Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps prepared for Wednesday night’s first leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship final, they learned who the winner will play in the CONCACAF Champions League qualifier. The draw was held Wednesday for the 2011-12 CCL, and the Canadian championship winner will play a Nicaraguan side, either Real Esteli or Walter Ferreti, for the right to advance to the group stage.