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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Canada: Close, but no perogy

Ukrainian comeback denies Canadians historic win in Kyiv

By: Jerrad Peters

Posted: 10/9/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

Ukraine's Denys Oliynyk (right) gets a step on Canada's Patrice Bernier during Friday's match. (EFREM LUKATSKY / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

A late fightback by hosts Ukraine denied Canada's men's national soccer team a historic win in Kyiv on Friday. Goals from Dynamo Kyiv forward Artem Milevskiy and Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk canceled the two-goal lead Canada had taken into the break, Tymohschuk's coming with just 10 minutes remaining.

It was a come-from-behind result that saved Ukraine's blushes. Ranked 26th in the world and preparing to co-host Euro 2012 with Poland, a loss to Canada -- which only climbed to 88th place after last month's win against Honduras -- would have further sunk the morale of a nation that failed to qualify for both Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.

Still, it very nearly happened.

Canada got off to a quick start when Norwich City striker Simeon Jackson and PSV Eindhoven playmaker Atiba Hutchinson combined to open the scoring. After running onto Hutchinson's pass, Jackson noticed Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Piatov had ventured off his line, and chipped a deft effort that sailed just under the crossbar for his second international tally.

The two Canadians were at it again just prior to the half-hour, although this time it was Jackson the provider and Hutchinson the goal scorer.

After dribbling through midfield, Jackson spotted his teammate running into space and fed him an accurate pass that put him in clear on goal.

But Hutchinson still had work to do, and ran hard to beat Piatov to the ball before cleverly sidestepping around the 'keeper and tucking the ball into the net.

It was Hutchinson's fourth goal for Canada in 50 appearances.

The Canadian dominance lasted until the break, when Ukraine manager Yuriy Kalitvintsev made a handful of changes that immediately altered the pattern of play.

Former Chelsea and AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko nearly cut Ukraine's deficit in half when he was saved by Canadian goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld just two minutes after the restart, but Milevskiy finally got the hosts on the scoresheet when he turned in a rebound off Hirschfeld's post.

Tymoshchuk completed the comeback off a Ukraine corner in the 80th minute.

The late goal will have come as a kick to the stomach for Canada.

Nevertheless, the draw was their first positive result in Europe since a 1-1 draw with Iceland in 2007. Jackson looked particularly menacing in his preferred position up front, and manager Stephen Hart didn't seem to miss the absent Toronto FC trio of Adrian Cann, Julian De Guzman and Dwayne De Rosario.

Canada will next play Greece on Feb. 9, 2011, while Ukraine will face Brazil in England on Monday.

Spot kicks

-- The English Premier League has approved the sale of Liverpool Football Club to Boston Red Sox owner John Henry and his New England Sports Ventures Group.

Outgoing owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. made numerous attempts to block the transaction this week, but will likely be forced to accept the terms of the sale when their challenge is heard by the High Court in the next few days.

They insist the $481.9 million takeover vastly undervalues the team, but the fact that the Royal Bank of Scotland can foreclose on the debt-ridden club as early as Friday leaves them with very little leverage.

-- Away fans have been banned from this season's Ligue 1 matches between Paris-Saint Germain and Olympique Marseille. Last year's violent clashes between fans of the French arch-rivals led to the French Football League's decision, announced on Thursday. PSG and Marseille are scheduled to play in the capital on Nov. 7 and in Marseille on March 19.

-- Argentina was dealt a shocking loss in an international friendly on Friday, losing 1-0 to Japan in Saitama.

Despite the presence of stars such as Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi, the Albicelestes could not find the back of the net, and Shinji Okazaki scored the game's only goal in the 19th minute.

The defeat comes as a major blow to Argentina manager Sergio Batista, who is desperately trying to hold onto his job while the coach he ousted -- Diego Maradona -- is attempting a very public coup.

jerradpeters@gmail.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 9, 2010 D7

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