Match Thread: CONCACAF U-20 - Group Stage - Canada v Cuba - June 18, 2022 - 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT

[TOcanadafan]

Disaster

[VinceA]

We continue to be an utter clown show at U20 tournaments.

[Vasi]

Some things never change

[Dominic94]

The first 15 minute they weren’t touching the ball….

[Soccerpro2]

1 minute ago, Shway said:

Lol…clearly you don’t know who’s who.

CPLs - Poku, and Catavolo has looked good.
MLSNextPro player is Hugo mbongue, and he hasn’t gotten any service. 
Campagna hasnt been noticeable, which isn’t bad defensively.
 

Your right, the team looks great. Everything looks perfect out there. 
you’d fit in great at the CSA.

[VinceA]

Just now, VinceA said:

We continue to be an utter clown show at U20 tournaments.

And this was coming. All our forward passes keep fizzling out which just keeps giving Cuba hope that our bark is worse than our bite.

[Tyson M]

This team is awful...many bad choices passing ball out from the back, with a few terribly placed passes as well... this was coming... first 10 minutes fine but Cuba is all over us! This team will get killed by the US!

[Shway]

Are we playing a 433?

I think this starting lineup is questionable. Should’ve started our strongest guys, get on the front foot and then make changes.
Now we are chasing the game.

[CanadaFan123]

It’s clear we need some tactical adjustments at half. We can’t play through their press on this pitch. 

[Atlantic]

Way too sloppy and the system they’re playing is awful. I thought in 2022 things would be different with the youth program

[Soccerpro2]

People here were acting like we’d be going toe to toe with the USA who have lots of players getting quality MLS minutes every week.

All “pro” environments are not created equally.

 

 

[Shway]

Pelligrino and Henry are hurting in the midfield.

 Losing possession way too much.

[gator]

We haven't looked good for most of the last half hour, too many mistakes, giving away possession easily, it looks real hot there which is probably helping an athletic Cuban side used to playing in heat!I am not going to write us off just yet, we should have the quality to get back in this but it is mostly poor so far!

[Weng]

They all look so passive and unsure off the ball.  Not a lot of runs being made.  Mbongue has been invisible 

[Gian-Luca]

Pretty unorganized looking from what I have seen this far, as though the team is ill prepared 

Edited June 19, 2022 by Gian-Luca

[El Hombre]

Just now, Gian-Luca said:

Pre

Strongly disagree.

[Soccerpro2]

Hopefully Justin Smith can emerge as a strong player for the Canadian program the way that Tajon Buchanon did at the last Olympic qualifying.

That’s a realistic hope for this team.

Edited June 19, 2022 by Soccerpro2

[El Hombre]

1 minute ago, Soccerpro2 said:

Hopefully Justin Smith can emerge as a strong player for the Canadian program the way that Tajon Buchanon did at the last Olympic qualifying.

That’s a realistic hope for this team.

So, you malign players playing day-in, day-out for CPL (Poku, Catavolo) or MLS Next Pro (Mbongue) but pin all your hopes on someone who plays for Nice B?

Interesting.

[Approve My Account Pls]

I think there's been some good flashes of play especially in the first 30 but just lacked execution in the final 3rd, but it looks to me like there have been points where we've underestimated Cuba and they made us pay for it... hopefully this gives them a good kick up the ass and they come out swinging 

[DeRo_Is_King]

Good thing most of our senior players are still young. Going to need them for 2026. 

 

[harrycoyster]

Disaster aside, we are the better team. Can't be afraid to play over this Cuban team. They'll run themselves out eventually.

Not a great sign into the US though. Based on what we saw earlier this game would be dusted at half if we lay an egg like this against them. 

[Soccerpro2]

Just now, El Hombre said:

So, you malign players playing day-in, day-out for CPL (Poku, Catavolo) or MLS Next Pro (Mbongue) but pin all your hopes on someone who plays for Nice B?

Interesting.

I watch Catavalo on a weekly basis, the man isn’t going to be putting this team on his back.

Poku is fine.

I’ll take the guy who made the bench a whole lot in a top 5 league this season and has looked pretty strong compared to some of his peers in the first half. If that’s interesting, then sure.

[blueseeka]

Smith looks very composed back there.

That back pass was very disappointing but happy to watch Canada u20's

[maccaliam]

Getting this competition correct could set us up for a few years of massive growth and learning for our players and program leading into 2026 with U20 World Cup, Olympics, etc. After qualification for our Senior team, this should have been a significant focus. It doesn’t feel like it has been and that may end up being a missed opportunity IMO. 

[blueseeka]

Really hope they can pull this out tonight. Need to beat Cuba to have a chance