Toronto, Canadá – A stoppage-time goal from Guadeloupe secured a 2-2 draw with Canada on Tuesday night at BMO Field in Toronto, with each team starting its Gold Cup Group D campaign off with a point.
Guadeloupe continued the momentum it had built during the Gold Cup Prelims, when it kept a clean sheet in consecutive games, with a strong start to group play.
In the 15th minute, FW Thierry Ambrose put a shot on target, drawing Canada GK Milan Borjan into action and putting his follow-up on the rebound just wide.
At the second time of asking, though, Ambrose beat Borjan in the 23rd minute, finishing after a team move that started with Matthias Phaeton finding Jordan Leborgne and Leborgne sliding a pass through for Ambrose to finish for a 1-0 Guadeloupe lead.
But Canada pushed to fight back in front of its home fans and was able to turn the match around in the second half.
Canada FW Lucas Cavallini started a move from near the midfield circle where he pushed the ball wide to FW Junior Hoilett, who measured up a cross and found Cavallini rushing into the box to finish to bring the match level 1-1 in the 50th minute.
Canada then nosed ahead 2-1 in the 70th minute when Ali Ahmed found space near the box and set a pop pass toward MF Richie Laryea, in which the ball went into net past GK Davy Rouyard after Guadeloupe DF Meddy Lina’s attempted clearance.
The home fans were ready to celebrate a victory, but saw their team concede an own goal in the 94th minute. After winning a free kick on the right wing, Guadeloupe MF Johan Rotsen sent the ball in, with substitute DF Nathanael Saintini able to head it on. Ambrose was at the back post and smashed a low cross across that was deflected in off Canada’s Jacen Russell Rowe for the equalizer.
Both teams continue group play Saturday at Houston’s Shell Energy Stadium, with Canada taking on Guatemala and Guadeloupe meeting Cuba.
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