Ipswich Town's pre-season absentee, Jaime Peters, will be back with Roy Keane's squad later this week after Canada exited the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Peters was a 71st minute substitute in Friday's quarter-final against Honduras, earning his 19th cap, but was unable to prevent his nation going down to controversial 1-0 defeat.
A Salvadoran referee and Central American opposition was a combination Canada had good reason to fear. An absurd penalty decision in the 35th minute gifted Honduras the lead through Walter Martinez, after Borussia Mönchengladbach's Paul Stalteri was adjudged to have hauled the down scorer in the box. Stalteri was even booked for the incident, although replays showed it to be an aborted attempt at an overhead kick by the fallen forward rather than any foul upon him.
At half-time, the normally calm and dispassionate Craig Forrest vociferously bemoaned the lack of "a level playing fieldâ€Â.
The first half had been a fairly even affair, with Canada actually having the best two chances, both left begging by Copenhagen's Atiba Hutchinson.
In the second half, the Hondurans, a talented squad still in the hunt for World Cup qualification, fell back into a packed defence and relied on dangerous breaks by Martinez, some spectacular dives and lengthy feigned injuries to see out the tie.
Canada outshot their opponents by 12-6, were ahead on corners 9-1 and Cologne's Kevin McKenna smashed a shot against the post, but even after the introduction of fresh legs in Peters and Gillingham's Simeon Jackson (sign him up, Roy!) and the parking of all 11 players in their opponents' half for a final aerial bombardment, there was to be no breakthrough.
Peters's short time on the field must have been frustrating. He entered the game in an advanced wide right position, but had no room to run at players and apart from one blocked shot and one amazing vertical leap to keep a ball in play, his contribution was largely limited to passing back for Stalteri to launch a series of futile bombs into the box.
After only five minutes of the dozen or so time-wasted minutes were added on, the final whistle went to the delight of a largely blue and white crowd in Philadelphia, and an angry Canadian team traipsed off.
Our Craig muttered about CONCACAF reffing being the worst in the world. Martinez was good, and Escobar in goal was solid, but the most valuable player for Honduras was undoubtedly one Joel Aguilar from El Salvador. Jaime's plane should be leaving soon.
Thanks to Canada-based Blue readtheleague for the report.