Michael Petrasso can be forgiven for leaving camp with Canada’s U-20 national team a bit early last week. After all, he had to get back to scoring goals for his club.
On Saturday, Petrasso scored his third goal in just five appearances since joining Notts County on loan, though his side fell 2-1 to Yeovil Town in League One action. Petrasso also went the full 90 for the Magpies last Tuesday (also a 2-1 loss, to Accrington Stanley), the same day his Canadian youth teammates notched a 1-0 victory against the US to close out a successful three-game European tour.
Several of Petrasso’s U-20 teammates got back into club action this week as well. Dylan Carreiro, who scored the winning goal for Canada against the US, came on as a sub for Arbroath in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Clyde. Elsewhere in Scotland, Luca Gasparotto went the full 90 for Airdrieonians in a 1-0 loss to Stranraer. And over in Germany, Daniel Stanese went the distance for FC Augsburg II in a 1-1 draw with Garching.
As for Canada’s veterans, it was a much rougher week – with one notable exception.
Iain Hume potted his third goal of the Indian Super League season for Kerala Blasters, opening the scoring in the fourth minute en route to a 2-1 win over Atletico de Kolkata on Friday. Given Canada’s scoring woes as of late, one wonders whether head coach Benito Floro may soon look to the likes of Hume or Petrasso to provide a spark.
Andre Hainault had a tough week at the office for VfR Aalen. He was charged with an own goal just two minutes into Friday’s 2. Bundesliga match against Bochum and was eventually subbed out in the 79th minute of what turned into a 4-0 loss for his side.
It wasn’t much better for Dejan Jakovic, who was sent off in the 90th minute after collecting his second yellow card in Shimizu S-Pulse’s 2-2 draw with Nagoya Grampus on Saturday in Japan.
But they, at least, saw some game action. David Edgar has yet to get back on the field for Birmingham City after being sent off in a game against AFC Bournemouth a month ago. And Milan Borjan, despite a stellar performance for Canada’s senior team in a friendly against Panama last week, was again an unused sub for Ludogorets Razgrad.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Canada’s veterans, though. Atiba Hutchinson – as we’ve all come to expect – put in a 90-minute shift for Besiktas on Sunday in a 2-0 win over Kasimpasa in Turkey. Pedro Pacheco also put in a full day’s worth of midfield work for CD Santa Clara in a 3-0 loss to Academico Viseu on Sunday in Portugal.
Lucas Cavallini went the full 90 for Centro Atletico Fenix and was shown a yellow card, but he couldn’t find the scoresheet in a 2-1 loss to Penarol, the club’s fifth straight defeat, in Uruguay.
A number of other Canadians also got starts for their clubs this past week – Tosaint Ricketts (Hapoel Haifa), Daniel Haber (Ayia Napa) and Tam Nsaliwa (Bucaspor) – while several more made appearances as substitutes – Junior Hoilett (QPR), Marcus Haber (Crewe Alexandra) and Randy Edwini-Bonsu (Stuttgarter Kickers).
