Canada, El Salvador play to goalless draw

Canada would go on to tie the game 0-0, and everyone will be looking back to that miss.

El Salvador’s Alexander Mendoza kicks the ball during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup socc …

Bonilla’s replacement, Irving Herrera, came straight in and instantly became his team’s most threatening player on the ball.

It would have been a goal against the grain, as El Salvador’s fleet-footed XI cut through the Canadians at will, while Benito Floro’s men took a more physical approach.

MLS Rookie sensation, Cyle Larin, had one of the best opportunities in the first half to open the scoring when he found himself one-on-one with Derby Carillo, but after he rounded the goalkeeper, he couldn’t find the empty net and sailed the ball into the stands. Somehow, the Canadians escaped the play scratch free and held on to their clean sheet.

Stamatopoulos was tested often for Canada and made six saves.

Right after a previous Group B match between Costa Rica and Jamaica, the two competing teams will try and get a good start with a victory. But his centering pass was cleared away. Moments later, Canadian goalkeeper Kiriakos Stamatopoulos misplayed a punch-out, but he recovered to block Irvin Herrera’s close-range shot.

“The main aim in this Gold Cup for us is to get as far as possible”, he explained after naming his 23-man squad.

Earlier in the day, tournament favourites Costa Rica and Jamaica fought to a 2-2 result and left the door wide open for the two other teams in the group to take advantage.

His miss proved costly as the match ended 0-0.

The veteran Spaniard was appointed in the aftermath of another disappointing Gold Cup campaign two years ago – as Colin Miller’s side failed to get out of the group.

El Salvador recently broke their five match winless run with a 4-1 thrashing of St. Kitts and Nevis in the Federation Internationale de Football Association World Cup qualifiers.