Perhaps the earliest complete footage available of both teams, this video finds the United States travelling to Vancouver, British Columbia to meet Canada in a qualifier for the 1982 World Cup.
While hard to envision today, Canada had the far-better program in the early 1980s, largely as a result of Canadian NASL teams actually playing natives. Canada would eventually qualify for the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico.
Before this match, Canada was on an impressive run of form. On October 18, the side drew Mexico 1-1 in Toronto, then had a scoreless draw against the US in Ft. Lauderdale a week later. Fifteen days after this match, Canada would again draw Mexico, 1-1, this time in El Azteca.
The US was not faring as well. Its next qualifier (8 days after this one) was a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Mexico at El Azteca. The Americans did recover to stun Mexico in Ft. Lauderdale on November 23, winning 2-1 behind a Steve Moyers brace.
In this match, Canada were by far the better team--even playing on the awful Astroturf at old Empire Stadium. 13,598 fans were on hand to watch the home side cruise to a 2-1 result behind goals from Bob Iarusci and Branko Segota; Greg Villa scored a stoppage time goal for the US.
Neither team qualified for the 1982 World Cup.
The lineups:
CANADA Lettieri; Bob Lenarduzzi; Mike Stojanovic; Gene Streincer (Carmine Marcantonio 15'); Wes McLeod; Gerry Gray; Bob Bolitho (Mike Sweeney 46'); John McGrane; Branko Segota; Bruce Miller; Robert Iarusci
USA: Arnie Mausser; Tony Crudo; Ty Keough; Steve Pecher; Greg Makowski; Boris Bandov; Ringo Cantillo; Angelo di Bernardo; Njego Pesa (Greg Villa 66'); Rick Davis; Mark Liveric (Steve Moyers 76')
Credit for finding this video goes to Dave Brett Wasser; it was previously posted on his page, but in four parts. It has been combined here, and has been cropped and edited (removing halftime commercials).
12 сен 2024
