Music: {allcanada} CANADA BEATS PANAMA TO REACH CONCACAF U17 FINAL

Friday, February 25, 2011

{allcanada} CANADA BEATS PANAMA TO REACH CONCACAF U17 FINAL

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica -- Maxime Crepeau posted his fourth straight shutout and Canada survived an off day to defeat Panama 1-0 Friday to advance to the final of the CONCACAF U-17 soccer championship.

Crepeau, a product of the Montreal Impact Academy from Candiac, Que., saved the win in the 88th minute when he made a close-range save off Roberto Chen after a goalmouth scramble.

Defender Luca Gasparotto scored the lone goal in the eighth minute off a corner.

Both teams had already qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Championships by winning their quarter-final matches. But bragging rights and an improved seeding at the June 18-July 10 world championship in Mexico were on the line.

Canada will play either the U.S. or Jamaica in Sunday's final. They played in the later semifinal.

Upstart Panama, which has never previously reached the CONCACAF championship before, pushed Canada in the second half when it dominated possession and kept the Canadians on their heels.

"We bent but we didn't break, but we know we have to be better," Canadian coach Sean Fleming told CONCACAF TV.

Canada (3-0-1) has outscored its opposition 11-0 at the tournament

Panama (1-2-1) has scored just one goal and given up two in its qualifying campaign. It advanced to the semifinals by upsetting Costa Rica 1-0.

Alfredo Stephens, who was responsible for Panama's lone goal of the competition, was not in the lineup Friday after picking up two yellow cards.

Canada opened the scoring early in the first half off a corner when Gasparotto rose at the back post to head the ball home.

Striker Sadi Jalil had a chance to add to the lead in the 29th minute when a ball from Keven Aleman found its way to him in the box but he saw his shot deflected wide.

Chen came close to equalizing for Panama in the 55th minute when he hammered a long-range shot off the left post.

Omar Browne slammed a free kick off the other post in the 70th minute with Chen blasting the rebound high and wide.