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International notes: Ricketts, Canada fall in front of record crowd

03/27/2016, 9:30am CDT
By ERIC ANDERSON
Tosaint Ricketts

Tosaint Ricketts (UW-Green Bay) was in the starting XI for Canada on Friday night in front of the country's largest crowd for any team sport.

But perennial regional power Mexico spoiled the party, posting a 3-0 victory in a CONCACAF fourth-round qualifying match in front of 54,798 fans in Vancouver.

Ricketts was subbed out at halftime in his 47th cap for Canada, which remains second in Group 1 with a 1-1-1 record. The top two finishers in each of the three groups advance to the final round of qualifying.

Mexico has outscored opponents 8-0 in winning all three of its matches and has essentially clinched advancement to the six-team hexagonal. The teams play again Tuesday night in Mexico City, with kickoff set for 9:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.

On Twitter: @TosaintRicketts

  • Columbus Crew midfielder Ethan Finlay (Marshfield) was an unused sub as the U.S. national team dropped a stunning 2-0 decision to Guatemala in a Group 3 qualifier Friday night in Guatemala City. The U.S. now faces a vital rematch on Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio (6 p.m. on ESPN2, UniMas and Univision Deportes Network) – anything other than a win would leave the Americans with only slim hopes of advancing to the hexagonal. The U.S. in 1-1-1, behind Trinidad and Tobago (2-0-1) and Guatemala (2-1-0) in the group. On Twitter: @EthanFinlay13
  • Chicago Fire midfielder Matt Polster (Milwaukee) played all 90 minutes as the U.S. Under-23 national team tied host Colombia 1-1 in the first leg of an Olympic qualifying playoff series Friday in Barranquilla. Game 2 is Tuesday in Frisco, Texas, with kickoff at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2. If the teams tie, the away goals rule will be used as a tiebreaker. On Twitter: @MattPolster
  • The U.S. Futsal national team, coached by Milwaukee's Keith Tozer with son Alex Tozer (Whitefish Bay Dominican) on the court, dropped a pair of friendlies against Argentina 3-1 on Thursday and 7-4 on Friday in Buenos Aries. The American side, which is preparing for the CONCACAF Championships in May in Costa Rica, wraps up its trip with matches against the Argentine Under-20 team today and Monday. Mark Litton (Racine St. Catherine's/UW-Parkside) is the U.S. goalkeeper coach. On Twitter: @ktozerusafutsal @amtozer14
  • Milwaukee Wave defender Jonathan Greenfield and the U.S. beach soccer team finished last at the Copa Pilsener in San Salvador, El Salvador. Greenfield scored in a 4-2 loss to El Salvador on Thursday, then had two goals in a 3-3 draw in Saturday's finale against Argentina – however, he missed his kick as the Americans fell 4-3 on penalty kicks. The U.S. lost to reigning world champion, and eventual tournament champion, Portugal 4-1 on Friday. On Twitter: @espengreenfield

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