Canada 3-2 Finland: 2010 Senior World Cup

New man Bryan scores twice as Canada moves into great position to advance from the group after first World Cup victory since 2006.
Abel Bryan, a goal machine at club level, surprisingly started this game at the expense of Carlos Eldridge. However, just four minutes in, mike's surprise move seemed to pay off. After receiving Blake Thornton's pass, Bryan instinctively hit a low one-time shot from thirty yards out which went in off the post. At the other end, Taisto Luoma tested Angel Vang, while Bryan then came close to making it 2-0 when he forced a good save from Josiah Laulaja to deflect the ball out for a corner. Although Jani Hannula's free kick was harmless, Finland were starting to come into the game, and Luoma again forced Vang to use his hands in order to keep the Canucks ahead. In the 19th minute, a strange thing happened. Shad Marcus' free kick went straight towards Laulaja, who somehow dropped the ball. Abel Bryan was on hand to blast over the bar, and so the two errors cancelled each other out. Marcus' next free kick was better. After Thornton had won a foul on the edge of the box, Marcus took advantage by shooting into the roof of the net, although Laulaja got a hand to it. Finland were back in it five minutes later when Juuso Hyokyvaara turned and shot in the box, although Vang could have done better. Sysky Halmkrona forced Vang into another decent save as Finland searched for the equaliser, but as they were putting bodies forward, Canada counter-attacked and Bryan ended up scoring his second. He received the ball in the centre circle and ran all the way into the penalty area, doing very well to beat defender Janne Keinanen on the way, before coolly slotting the ball home, capping off a magnificent solo goal. Finland pressed the rest of the first half, but Vang did well to deflect Hyokyvaara's shot for a corner, and then stop Kim Niinimaa from close-range. Canada were leading 3-1 at half-time.
Finland started brightly in the second half, but Vang was solid in between the posts, and comfortably stopped Niinimaa's long-range effort. Canada were still having chances too, with Laulaja closing down Bryan quick enough to prevent a hat-trick and Marcus shooting just wide. Thornton then forced the best out of Laulaja after scrambling after a loose-ball on the edge of the box and shooting point-blank. The Finnish goalkeeper conceded a corner, which, in turn, resulted in a scramble, and Laulaja finally managed to pick the ball up. Laulaja then thwarted Bryan on a breakaway and Niinimaa shot just a few inches wide of the target for Finland. Finally, Finland scored their second goal with over an hour gone, after tussling with Sterling Howell, winning the ball and shooting into the top corner past a helpless Vang. Canada had let a 3-1 lead against Croatia slip away and were in danger of doing so again. Bryan and Hyokyvaara exchanged good chances as the tension was rising, but Finland would be frustrated when a poor challenge from a quiet Perry Ferreira on Ahto Hentunen meant that the Finnish defender had to go off injured and, with all three substitutions already made, the Scandinavians would play the rest of the game with ten men. One of those substitutes, Martti Makiaho, sent a dangerous shot which came tantalisingly close, but just whistled past the post. Finland were unable to conjure up anything after that, and Canada held on for a well-deserved, hard-fought victory.
After the disappointment against Croatia, this victory gives us a great chance at making it to the next stage. Canada were slightly better throughout, and that's why all three points were well-earned.
Canada played arguably their strangest tactic and most surprising selection so far. The flat back four featured Paschal Burnham and Sterling Howell as full-backs while Cyrille McCullough paired with Frankie Gonzalez in the centre, as the ex-Hilliers man came out of nowhere in order to cover for Burt Hatch's suspension. In the midfield, Canada played a diagonal line of three to cover Finland's asymmetrical attack. Sal Covington was the defensive midfielder, with Thornton in the centre and Leslie Love as the attacking option. The front three consisted of Marcus on the left wing, and Ferreira playing slightly behind Bryan in the centre. The likes of Eldridge, Isidore Paige, and Jan Shepard didn't even come off the bench as the substitutions were only set if Canada were struggling.
The man of the match award has to go to Abel Bryan, but most of the others played well too. Howell and McCullough were especially strong in defence, while Gonzalez didn't have at all the same impact Bryan made on his debut, and Ferreira was a non-factor for most of the game. Marcus was a strange choice on the wing, but played decently, as did the midfielders.
A draw against Mexico will be enough to stay alive in the tournament, but hopefully we'll get the win. A loss means we'd need Croatia to beat Finland and we'll probably be through on goal difference.
Ferreira received the only card of the game for that challenge on Hentunen which forced the Finn to go off.