Under cloudy skies, the first day of the Men’s competition of the 2015 Pan American Games started. Despite the weather that soon turned rainy, sunshine-colored volunteers were everywhere to welcome everyone and prevent any rain-related problems. Like the women’s competition, the men’s competition features umpires from outside the Pan American region; including David Sweetman from Scotland, Paco Vasquez from Spain, and Suolong You from China. Today featured a couple milestones for keepers, as the day started with Trinidad and Tobago’s Andrey Rocke being honored for this 100th cap; and Chile’s Adrian Henriquez celebrating his birthday.
After a rainy morning, under bright sunny skies host Canada and Brazil met. The first five minutes of the match largely consisted of Canada having possession in their midfield facing a tough Brazilian defense. Canada’s pressure continued and Brenden Bissett put in a tough shot past the Brazilian defense for the first goal of the match in the 8th minute. One minute later, Matheus Borges tied the match for Brazil. For the rest of the first quarter Canada and Brazil continued to trade possession. With Brazil just narrowly missing the net in the final seconds of the first quarter, the second quarter started with both teams still tied 1-1. Two minutes into the second quarter, Canada earned a penalty corner and a drag flick by Captain Scott Tupper gave Canada back the lead. Soon after, Canada earned another penalty corner, but this time Brazil’s keeper Rodrigo Faustino was there to stop a high Tupper shot. Brazil immediately had a chance to tie the match again, but Stephan Smith’s penalty stroke was blocked by Canada’s keeper David Carter. In the 23rd minute Canada was awarded another penalty corner, but failed to execute the play. Luis Reus kept playing passionate attack and defense to keep play near Brazil’s attacking circle. As a result, Brazil was awarded their first penalty corner of the match in the 26th minute. Brazil’s good shot was just saved by Carter. Canada then immediately earned a penalty corner and the initial shot was blocked by Faustino, but Mark Pearson was there for the defection and then the score to give his team a two goal lead.
After halftime, Canada came out fired up and a quick goal by Gabriel Ho-Garcia made it Canada 4, Brazil 1. Canada kept up their attacking intensity and Adam Froese and Pearson sent back-to-back goals past Faustino to give Canada a five goal lead past Brazil only a few minutes into the second half. Soon after, in the 39th minute, it was Matt Guest to sneak the ball past Faustino to make it Canada 7, Brazil 1. Brazil did not let up and immediately earned a couple penalty corners; the first shot was blocked by Carter and Brazil was unable to get the other corner shot off. Brazil then played strong defense, but eventually Guest scored again in the 44th minute. Lucas Paixao nearly got a shot off for Brazil, but David Jameson was there to recover the ball for Canada. Thus, the third quarter ended Canada 8, Brazil 1. Canada earned two penalty corners to start the fourth quarter, but the Brazilian defense blocked the first one and the second shot was too high. Canada then had another shot blocked by the strong defense of Reus. Canada’s attack however did not let up and Paul Wharton scored in the 50th minute. Yet, despite being down by eight goals Brazil did not stop playing strong defense and prevented Canada from scoring further to keep the final score Canada 9, Brazil 1.
The first Pool B match was between Chile and Mexico. Both teams came out with high energy from the start. Chile’s Sven Richter first went on attack, but Mexico denied a shot and Mexico ran fast on attack. Mexico’s Alexis Campillo lifted in a goal to give Mexico the early lead in the second minute. For much of the first quarter Chile kept forcing play in their attacking half behind the solid play of Nicolas Renz in their back field. Chile’s Ignacio Gajardo and Fernando Renz then kept looking for scoring opportunities, but Mexico defended incredibly well. The second quarter began with Chile continuing to have the possession, but Mexico’s Campillo had a quick breakaway on attack. Chile’s Nicolas Renz and Andres Fuenzalida continued to do a lot of passing in their backfield to result in the first penalty corner of the match in the 20th minute. Chile’s shot went wide and Mexico’s Roberto and Ricardo Garcia worked hard on defense to re-start their team’s attacking play. Chile quickly regained possession, however and Richter’s hard work on attack paid off with a goal to tie the match in the 25th minute. Mexico countered on attack and earned a couple of penalty corners, but was unable to execute the play. With either team unable to score further in the first half, the score remained tied 1-1 at halftime.
The second half started with a Chile penalty corner and Vicente Martin converted it to put Chile ahead over Mexico. Roberto Garcia and Bruno Peraza continued to play strong defense for Mexico to keep Chile from having more scoring opportunities in the third quarter. Guillermo Peraza and Argenis Vasquez kept trying to work past the Chilean defense, but could not manage to get a shot off. In the 43rd minute Chile’s Sebastián Kapsch was given a yellow card. At the end of the third quarter the score was still Chile 2, Mexico 1. Mexico quickly went on attack to start the fourth quarter, but was unable to capitalize off two penalty corners. Mexico continued to pressure on attack and earned another penalty corner in the 50th minute, but again could not convert. Pol Moreno had a good shot for Mexico in the 52nd minute, but Chile’s keeper Adrian Henriquez made a high glove save. Moreno continued to pressure on attack and found Guillermo Peraza waiting in the right spot in front of the goal to tie the match in the 55th minute. Chile immediately countered and found Martin Rodriguez whose goal immediately gave back the lead. With two minutes remaining, Mexico earned a penalty corner, but Henriquez made the big save for Chile. Chile’s Captain Raimundo Valenzuela had a quick breakaway, but his shot hit the post. With Mexico unable to get another shot off in the final minute, Chile came away with the narrow 3-2 victory over Mexico.
In a Pool A match, United States and Cuba traded possession throughout the first part of the first quarter. The United States earned the first penalty corner of the match. The United States’ Moritz Runzi made sure the United States capitalized as he completed a well-executed corner play to give the United States the lead in the 9th minute. Two minutes later, Cuba looked to tie the match, but a high shot was blocked by the United States keeper Christopher Rea. With either team unable to finish in the final minutes of the first quarter, the United States kept the lead going into the second quarter. Throughout the beginning of the second quarter play was in the midfield. In the middle of the second quarter the United States earned a couple more penalty corners. This time it was Aki Kaeppler to complete the penalty corner play to give his team a two goal lead over Cuba in the 24th minute. The United States maintained their attacking intensity and Will Holt scored in the 28th minute to make it United States 3, Cuba nill to close out the first half.
The second half started with Cuba on attack and quickly earning a penalty corner. Cuba’s Maikel Trizant converted the penalty corner in the 32nd minute to pull Cuba within two goals of the United States. The United States Captain Pat Harris kept trying to work the ball in the midfield, but Reynaldo Gonzalez and Yasmanny Gutierrez played strong in the midfield for Cuba. For the rest of the third quarter Cuba had more of the possession, but like the United States was unable to get the ball out of the midfield and into their attacking half. The fourth quarter continued as the third left off with both teams battling in the midfield. Cuba’s Yoandy Blanco found the back of the net past Rea to pull Cuba within one goal in the 51st minute. Following Blanco’s goals, the overall intensity of the match increased and the United States traded penalty corners in the final minutes. While the United States was unable to convert their penalty corner, Blanco capitalized off Cuba’s penalty corner opportunity to tie the match in the 59th minute. With Cuba able to hold off a last minute United States attack the final result was a 3-3 United States Cuba draw.
The first day of the 2015 Pan American Games Men began with a Pool A match between Argentina and Trinidad and Tobago. Prior to the start of the match, Trinidad and Tobago’s keeper Andrey Rocke was honored for his 100th cap. Both teams battled for possession throughout the first quarter. Rocke made a number of big glove saves to prevent Argentina from converting their penalty corners. Argentina’s keeper Juan Vivaldi also saved a Trinidad and Tobago penalty corner during the first period. The first period ended scoreless. In the second period, Argentina had more attacking opportunities than Trinidad and Tobago, but Rocke continued to be a rock to stop Argentina from getting on the scoreboard. Argentina’s Gonzalo Peillat finally converted one of Argentina’s penalty corners in the 26th minute for the first score of the match. Three minutes later, Lucas Vila went on to score three goals right before the end of the first half. Thus, the first half of the match ended Argentina 4, Trinidad and Tobago nill.
The third quarter began with Argentina continuing their rapid scoring from the end of the first half as Matias Paredes fired a shot past Rocke in the 37th minute. Argentina was soon awarded two more penalty corners and Nicolas Della Torre converted the second to put his team ahead by six goals in the 42nd minute. Behind the strong defense and leadership of Captain Darren Cowie, Trinidad and Tobago kept Argentina from scoring further in the third quarter. Throughout the fourth quarter, Trinidad and Tobago continued their strong defense, but eventually could not withstand Argentina’s attacking pressure. In the final four minutes of the match, Argentina scored five goals; including another penalty corner drag flick by Pelliat, two goals by Facundo Callioni and one by Joaquin Menini. Thus, Argentina came away with a big 11-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago.
