U.S. Edge Canada 2-1 And Advance To Gold Cup Final
Posted June 22, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The celebration for Atiba Hutchinson‘s game-tying goal was cut short when a linesman’s controversial decision turned the mood of the entire Canadian men’s soccer team from jubilant to irate.
A disputed offside call nullified Hutchinson’s goal as Canada fell 2-1 to the United States in a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal Thursday.
The United States will play Mexico, a 1-0 winner over tiny Guadeloupe, in Sunday’s final for a berth in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa.
With Canada pressing for the tying goal in stoppage time, Hutchinson got behind the American defense and beat veteran American goalkeeper Kasey Keller. But a linesman flagged Hutchinson offside, and Mexican referee Benito Archundia waved the goal off.
Replays showed the ball went off U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu, and that Canadian attackers appeared to be even with the last American defender, meaning the goal should have counted. Canadian players were visibly irate, and they vehemently argued to no avail with Archundia, who seconds later blew the final whistle.
Onyewu admitted heading the ball, but said he still thought Hutchinson was offside. “I don’t think it matters what I thought,” he said. “The call was offsides.”
