Argentina Take Home Gold at the Pan American Juniors

A blistering final day in Toronto led to a strong finish, with hard fought battles for the final positions.  Hometown Canada were unable to take gold, losing out to the talented Argentinian side in the final game of the day. Chile toppled the Americans to take bronze. Trinidad and Tobago edged Mexico to claim fifth, and Guyana earned a seventh place finish over Puerto Rico.

Guyana and Puerto Rico got the sweltering final day in Toronto underway with the battle for 7^th place. It didn’t take long for the action to begin, with Puerto Rico scoring on a 4^th minute penalty corner deflection to take the 1-0 lead. Guyana quickly responded, with Andrew Stewart getting the backhand shot off to chip the goalkeeper in the 8^th minute. Guyana controlled the game heading into halftime, drawing great saves from Puerto Rican goalkeeper Sanchez to keep the game at 1-1 at the half.

Guyana took the lead in the 51^st minute, with number 7 Aroydy Brandford driving across the circle to the baseline, before slipping it to teammate Hilton Chester for the easy tap-in. Puerto Rico did not wait long to equalize, with Eddie Fuentos Rios driving a backhand into the bottom corner to get the score to 2-2. In the 63^rd minute, Guyana got the penalty corner, drawing a great first save from goalkeeper Sanchez, only to have Aroydy Brandford bat the ball out of the air on the backhand for the go-ahead goal. And then it was Brandford again in the 65^th, getting the backhand through to make it 4-2. Final score, Guyana 4, Puerto Rico 2, with Guyana taking home 7^th place.

Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago battled for 5^th place. The first half began tense, with each team trading chances with near misses. In the 14^th minute, Othon broke through, placing a sizzling backhand into the bottom left corner of the T&T goal. 1-0 Mexico, but the end to end action continued. Kieron Emmanuel equalized for T&T in the 20^th minute off the flick on the penalty corner. The pace did not slow, with strong saves coming from each goalkeeper on the quick breaks, but the half ended knotted at 1 apiece.

The second half began the way the first ended, with action continuing at each end of the pitch. In the 47^th minute, T&T broke the deadlock with a goal from Kristien Emmanuel into the near-post netting. In the 55^th minute, Mexico’s Raymundo Lemus got the game even again, with a slip past the goalkeeper after a steal in the circle. T&T, however, responded immediately, with Teague Marcano striking the ball hard into the bottom left corner of the Mexican net, to put his team up 3-2. In the 67^th minute, Vieira put the game away, with a strike from the top of the circle for T&T. Final score, 4-2 T&T over Mexico to take 5^th.

The USA and Chile got the battle for bronze off to a quick start. Chile had the initial penalty corner opportunity, only to see the US goalkeeper make the save. The USA responded immediately, getting their own penalty corner in the 4^th minute. Sean Cicchi took full advantage, placing his flick into the bottom left corner. The USA took confidence with their early goal, staying cool under the Chilean pressure in the cagey match. Chile were able to create opportunities from their penalty corners, but O’Lari in the American net was up to the task each time. With six penalty corner saves, he kept his team ahead 1-0 heading into halftime.

The second half began with a quick break from the American number 18 Khokar, with his shot just missing the far post on his backhand. Chile settled down the half after that, keeping and dominating the possession. Chile’s pressure paid off quickly, getting a dangerous ball into the circle in the 40^th minute, leading to a scrappy and well-fought tally by Nicolas Bravo to tie the game. Chile kept up the pressure and took the lead in the 48^th minute off the drag flick by Amoroso high into the right corner. The Americans had the pressure to go on the offensive, but they could not breakthrough the unrelenting Chilean attack. Chile got their third of the afternoon from Felipe Renz in the 59^th minute. They followed this up with their fourth in the 64^th minute, with a backhand off the penalty corner from Nicolas Renz. Although the Americans pulled their goalkeeper with just under 5 minutes remaining, Chile was able to hang on and take bronze by 4 goals to 1.

Canada and Argentina, having already qualified for the junior world cup, began the game quickly, trading runs back and forth down the field. In the seventh minute, Argentina got the first true break, earning a penalty stroke. Maico Casella made no mistake, firing the ball hard into the bottom right corner, fooling the Canadian goalkeeper. Tense minutes followed, with Argentina dominating possession, but Canada held their shape well to withstand the pressure. Their patience paid off, as they were able to get the break for a Canadian penalty corner, forcing a save from the relatively untested Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Bosso. Argentina, however, was able to double their lead in the 25^th minute from Keenan, who tapped it in at the backdoor. Argentina held on with sufficient Canadian pressure at the end of the half to hold their two-goal lead.

The second half began quickly, with Argentina getting a few breaks. Canada did well handling the pressure, before some impatient play handed them a yellow card forcing them down to ten men. Argentina were quick to win a penalty corner with the man advantage, and Tomas Domene converted, hard into the bottom right corner. Domene was back at it in the 53^rd minute, storming down the leftside of the pitch. Gill was able to come out to challenge and make the save, but Canada saw themselves penalized with another yellow card. But two Argentinians swiftly followed the Canadian off the pitch, as the umpires looked to control the emotions of this tense final. The two teams traded penalty corners late in the 2^nd half, but only Argentina was able to convert. The captain Maico Casella fired the drag flick, ensuring he would not only take home the gold, but the goal scoring title. Argentina was not finished, and fired in their fifth goal in the final two minutes. It was created by great team play up the field, and a deft finish into the netting by Bugallo. And that would be the final, 5-0 to Argentina, taking home the gold.

Player of the Tournament and top goal-scorer: Maico CASELLA (ARG)
Goal-keeper of the Tournament: Kwasi EMMANUEL (TTO)