The Globe and Mail - 16.10.2019

B16 O THEGLOBEANDMAIL| WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER16,2019

UEFA President Aleksander Cefe-

rin urged governments to esca-

late the “war on the racists” to

help soccer authorities eliminate

them from stadiums after En-

gland players faced abuse in Bul-

garia.

In a statement to The Associ-

ated Press on Tuesday, Ceferin

blamed a rise in nationalism

across Europe for fuelling racism

at matches and said UEFA was

committed to imposing strong

punishments.

The Bulgarian Football Union

was charged by UEFA over its

fans making Nazi salutes and di-

recting monkey noises at En-

gland’s black players, which led

to the European Championship

qualifier in Sofia being stopped

twice on Monday.

“Believe me, UEFA is commit-

ted to doing everything it can to

eliminate this disease from foot-

ball,” Ceferin said. “We cannot af-

ford to be content with this. We

must always strive to strengthen

our resolve.

“More broadly, the football

family – everyone from adminis-

trators to players, coaches and

fans – needs to work with gov-

ernments and NGOs [non-gov-

ernmental organizations] to

wage war on the racists and to

marginalize their abhorrent

views to the fringes of society.”

But the English Football Asso-

ciation is also facing punishment

from UEFA after a disciplinary

case was opened into their fans

jeering through the Bulgarian

national anthem and bringing an

insufficient numbers of stew-

ards.

The Bulgarian Football Union

was also charged for disrupting

the English national anthem.

But, in a swift fallout after com-

ing under pressure from Bulga-

ria’s prime minister, BFU presi-

dent Borislav Mihailov said he

would resign at a meeting on Fri-

day.

British Prime Minister Boris

Johnson’s Downing Street office

called on UEFA to impose tough

penalties on Bulgaria. Ceferin

sees eradicating racism as part of

a wider effort.

“Football associations them-

selves cannot solve this prob-

lem,” Ceferin said. “Governments

too need to do more in this area.

Only by working together in the

name of decency and honour

will we make progress.”

UEFA’s racism-monitoring

partner, the Fare network, called

on Bulgaria to be blocked from

qualifying for Euro 2020 as puni-

shment for repeated racism of-

fences.

Ceferin maintains that UEFA’s

“sanctions are among the tough-

est in sport” and that the orga-

nization was willing to get tough.

“As a governing body, I know

we are not going to win any pop-

ularity contests, but some of the

views expressed about UEFA’s

approach to fighting racism have

been a long way off the mark,”

Ceferin said.

Monday’s game was played in

a partially closed stadium as

punishment for racist behaviour

by Bulgaria fans during a home

qualifier against Kosovo. A

3,000-seat section of Vasil Levski

National Stadium was already

due to be closed for the Czech

Republic’s visit next month be-

cause of another racist incident

in June when Bulgaria played in

Prague.

Bulgaria could be in line for a

stronger punishment if UEFA’s

disciplinary panel decides Mon-

day’s incident was a third of-

fence in Euro 2020 qualifying,

with at least one game potential-

ly ordered to be played behind

closed doors.

“There were times, not long

ago, when the football family

thought that the scourge of rac-

ism was a distant memory,” Cefe-

rin said. “The last couple of years

have taught us that such think-

ing was, at best, complacent.

“The rise of nationalism

across the continent has fuelled

some unacceptable behaviour

and some have taken it upon

themselves to think that a foot-

ball crowd is the right place to

give voice to their appalling

views.”

While Bulgaria is in last place

in the qualifying group, it could

still potentially reach Euro 2020

through the playoffs route link-

ed to the Nations League compe-

tition.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

UEFAleader

callsfora

‘waronracists’

afterBulgaria

incident

ROBHARRIS

Alphonso Davies scored in the 63rd min-
ute and substitute Lucas Cavallini added a
stoppage-time goal to help Canada end a
34-year winless run against the U.S. with a
2-0 victory in CONCACAF Nations League
play Tuesday.
Canada had a three-on-two after U.S.
midfielder Michael Bradley, who normally
calls BMO Field home as Toronto FC cap-
tain, lost the ball. The Americans cleared it
but it came right back and captain Scott
Arfield raked a low cross across the penal-
ty box that a sliding Davies knocked in at
the far post.
The Bayern Munich teenager, who had
been a danger-man all night, turned from
the goal and raced away in celebration be-
fore being mobbed by teammates. The 18-
year-old exited three minutes later to a
standing ovation from the announced
crowd of 17,126.
Cavallini, taking a looping ball from Jo-
nathan Osorio, hammered home a right-
footed shot in stoppage time to rub salt in
the U.S. wound. The burly striker kissed
the Canadian crest as he celebrated the
goal.
The 75th-ranked Canadian men had not
beaten the No. 21 Americans since 1985,
going 0-9-8 in the years since. Until Tues-
day, when they were full value for the vic-
tory.
Davies and fellow teenager Jonathan
David led the Canadian attack, with Da-
vies’s pace and David’s guile causing real
problems.
The Canadians were poised and well-or-
ganized, harrying the Americans all night.
It was a high-tempo, occasionally ill-tem-
pered game with spectators perhaps won-
dering early which team was the higher
ranked.
And Canada kept its foot on the throt-
tle, frustrating the Americans.
The U.S. has dominated Canada in re-
cent years. It came into the match leading
the overall series 14-8-11 and had not lost
to the Canadians since a 2-0 decision in
April, 1985 ,in Vancouver.
But the U.S. edge was only 7-6-4 in com-
petitive matches against Canada, and 3-6-2
in away matches. While the Americans
had won last time out – 1-0 in February
2016 in Carson, Calif. – the two meetings
before that were 0-0 draws.
The two teams will face off again Nov. 15
in Orlando. The U.S. will play Cuba four
days later in the Cayman Islands capital of
George Town.
With Samuel Piette sucking up balls in
midfield, the home side looked to get the

ball quickly to Davies and David. The elu-

sive Davies gave the U.S. defenders fits

with U.S. midfielder Cristian Roldan cyn-

ically chopping him down as a chippy first

half neared its close.

The Canadian men were in search of

valuable ranking points in their bid to

climb the FIFA rankings table and qualify

for the six-team Hex, the

most direct World Cup qual-

ifying route out of CONCA-

CAF.

El Salvador, the team Can-

ada is trying to catch to move

into sixth place in the region,

blanked Montserrat 2-0 Sat-

urday and Saint Lucia 2-0 on

Tuesday. Panama, ninth in

CONCACAF, faced Mexico

later Tuesday.

Curacao, eighth in the re-

gion going into play Tuesday,

tied Costa Rica 0-0 Sunday.

Canada coach John Herd-

man fielded goalkeeper Mi-

lan Borjan behind a backline of Kamal

Miller, Derek Cornelius, Steven Vitoria and

Richie Laryea with Arfield, Piette, Osorio

and Mark Anthony-Kaye in the midfield

and Davies and David up front.

The Canadians played a 4-4-2 formation

with Piette and Kaye the back pair in a box

midfield.

Bradley earned his 151st cap, becoming

the first U.S. national team player to ap-

pear in an away match at his current home

club stadium. Montreal Impact fullback

Daniel Lovitz also started for the Ameri-

cans, who were captained by Tim Ream.

Helped by Bradley, the U.S. starting 11

totalled 297 caps going into the game. Can-

ada’s starters had 200 caps combined with

Borjan, Piette and Osorio accounting for

120 of them.

The Americans are under-

going a transition of their

own under Gregg Berhalter,

who was named coach in

December, 2018.

Both teams have already

clobbered Cuba in CONCA-

CAF Nations League Group

A play.

Canada won 6-0 and 1-0

when the two met last

month while the U.S. won

7-0 in Washington, D.C. on

Friday.

The U.S. win over Cuba

means Canada can finish no

lower than second in Group A, which

means a berth in the next Gold Cup and a

spot in League A in the next Nations

League.

The group winner advances to the CON-

CACAF Nations League final four in June.

This report by The Canadian Press was

first published Oct. 15, 2019.

THE CANADIAN PRESS

Canadaendslongdrought,

beatsU.S.inNationsLeague

NEILDAVIDSONTORONTO

WestonMcKennieoftheUnitedStatesviesfortheballagainstCanadianJonathanOsorioin

aCONCACAFNationsLeaguegameinTorontoonTuesday.VAUGHNRIDLEY/GETTYIMAGES

TheU.S.has

dominatedCanada

inrecentyears.

Itcameintothe

matchleadingthe

overallseries14-8-11

andhadnotlostto

theCanadianssince

a2-0decisionin

April 1985 in

Vancouver.

With an equalizer in stoppage time, Spain
earned the point it needed against Sweden
to qualify for the 2020 European Cham-
pionship on Tuesday, while Ireland missed
its chance to seal a spot in next year’s tour-
nament by losing to Switzerland.
Already qualified Italy routed Liechten-
stein 5-0 for a record-equaling ninth
straight win.
After conceding a late equalizer against
Norway on Saturday to miss an opportuni-
ty to qualify in advance, Spain salvaged a
1-1 draw in its visit to Sweden with a goal
by Rodrigo two minutes into injury time at
Friends Arena.
“If we don’t win every match, people
will start saying that we are not playing
well, but things don’t always go your way
in football,” Rodrigo said. “The important
thing is that we have qualified. Now we
have time to try to improve.”
Coach Robert Moreno dedicated the
spot at Euro 2020 to former Spain manag-
er Luis Enrique, who resigned in June to be
with his ill daughter.
Sweden remained second in Group F,
five points behind Spain and one point in
front of third-place Romania, which
squandered a chance to move past Swe-
den after conceding a stoppage-time
equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Norway at
home. The Norwegians stayed alive after
their second consecutive last-gasp draw.
Romania and Sweden will meet in the
next round.
Marcus Berg scored early in the second
half to give Sweden the lead, but Rodrigo’s
late goal from close range kept Spain from
losing its first qualifying match – for either
the European Championship or the World
Cup – since 2014. It also extended Spain’s
record streak of scoring at least a goal to 38
consecutive matches.
Spain was without captain Sergio Ra-
mos because of a yellow-card suspension.
The central defender on Saturday played
his 168th match with the national team,
surpassing the record previously set by
Iker Casillas.
Spain goalkeeper David de Gea had to
be substituted in the 60th minute because
of a muscle injury.

IRELAND’SMISSEDCHANCE

A win would have secured Ireland a berth
at Euro 2020, but a 2-0 loss to Switzerland
means it will need to beat Denmark in its

final match to guarantee a place in next

year’s tournament.

Switzerland regained control of its

qualifying destiny with the home victory

in the tight Group D, moving one point be-

hind group leaders Ireland and Denmark.

The Swiss and Denmark both have two

games next month – including against

last-place minnow Gibraltar – while Ire-

land has only the must-win

home clash with the Danes.

“If we get the points we

need against Georgia and Gi-

braltar we can turn our at-

tentions to Euro 2020,” Swit-

zerland coach Vladimir Pet-

kovic said.

Ireland played a man

down from the 76th as cap-

tain Seamus Coleman was

shown a second yellow card

for a handball.

PERFECT ITALY

An inexperienced Italy side cruised to vic-

tory over Liechtenstein to equal the record

number of consecutive wins the Azzurri

set between 1938-39.

Andrea Belotti scored twice, while Fe-

derico Bernardeschi, Alessio Romagnoli

and Stephan El Shaarawy added a goal

apiece to help Italy to its eighth straight

win in qualifying for Euro 2020.

Having already qualified with Satur-

day’s 2-0 victory over Greece, Italy made 10

changes to its team on Tuesday.

“It was not easy, as we changed several

players and the group playing tonight had

not played together many times,” Italy

coach Roberto Mancini said. “We struggled

to score the second but once we did, every-

thing became easier. I’m happy with the

response of my players.”

ARMENIAFALLS

Armenia’s hopes of qualify-

ing for a major tournament

for the first time as an inde-

pendent country took a hit

after a 3-0 loss at Finland.

A win could have allowed

the Armenians, who played

without the injured Henrikh

Mkhitaryan, to leapfrog Fin-

land for second place in Group J.

It can still qualify, but only with victo-

ries in its last two games against Greece

and at Italy.

Finland is guaranteed at least a playoff

place because it won its group in the UEFA

Nations League, as is Bosnia and Herzego-

vina, which lost 2-1 at already-eliminated

Greece, but also remains with chances of

qualifying directly for Euro 2020.

THEASSOCIATEDPRESS

Rodrigo’sstoppage-timegoal

booksSpainaspotatEuro2020

Spain’sJuanBernatclasheswithSwedishplayersinStockholmduringaEuro2020qualifier

onTuesday.TheSpanishsidesalvageda1-1draw.TTNEWSAGENCY/REUTERS

TALESAZZONIMADRID

Theimportantthing

isthatwehave

qualified.Nowwe

havetimetotryto

improve.

RODRIGO

SPANISHFORWARD

SOCCER