Canada started their quest for a second straight FIFA U-17 World Cup berth with an assured 2-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in both teams’ opening game of the CONCACAF U-17 Championship on Saturday in La Chorrera, Panama.
Goals on either side of halftime by Marco Dominguez (above, left) and Jordan Hamilton gave Canada the three points as they were hardly troubled by their Caribbean opponents.
Canada's U-17s are now alone in first place in Group B on three points while Trinidad remain pointless after one game. Canada are now off until Wednesday while Trinidad take on Costa Rica on Monday.
The win also means that if Costa Rica can pull off a win or a tie against T&T, Canada will have already qualified for the quarterfinals before finishing up the group stage against Costa Rica.
READ: Whitecaps Residency GK Carducci named Canada U-17 captain
Canada put Trinidad on the back foot right away as they created chances right from kickoff. It wasn’t until the 42nd minute that they finally broke through, however, after Hamilton won a free kick in a dangerous position.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency player Marco Bustos took the free kick and laid it off for Dominguez, who lashed the ball into the top corner from 18 yards out.
Trinidad finished the first half with a little bit of life, keeping Canada from getting fully comfortable. But Sean Fleming's side found the insurance goal in the 59th minute.
Forward Hanson Boakai played Hamilton on goal and he went one-on-one with Johan Welch. The T&T 'keeper won the initial battle, racing off his line to block Hamilton’s first shot, but the ball came back to the Toronto FC Academy forward, and he made no mistake, scoring into the open goal.
Trinidad never looked to really trouble the Canadians after that and it wasn’t until the 75th minute that they had a decent chance with a free kick that went off target.
