Canadian Soccer
Canada will open its Olympic qualifying campaign against defending CONCACAF U-23 champion Mexico.
The national team, led by new manager Nick Dasovic, will face "Los Tricolores" in its first Group B game of the CONCACAF Under-23 Championship on March 12, according to the tournament schedule released Saturday.
Dasovic’s side then faces Haiti two days later and ends its three-match group stage schedule on March 16 against Guatemala.
Canada’s group stage matches will take place at Home Depot Center, home of the MLS’s Los Angeles Galaxy.
The eight-team tournament features two groups of four with Cuba, Honduras, Panama, and the host U.S. playing in Group A out of Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The champion and runner-up will qualify for the Summer Olympics in Beijing next year.
The top two teams from group play will advance to the March 20 crossover semifinals in Nashville, with the semifinal winners advancing to the championship on March 23, also in the Music City.
Dasovic, whose hiring was announced Thursday by the Canadian Soccer Association, spent the last several years as an assistant coach with the men’s national team under head coach Dale Mitchell.
The former Canadian international with 63 caps also served as an assistant coach with Mitchell’s Canadian U-20 team, taking part in three-straight FIFA U-20 World Cups, including this year’s in Canada.
Canada failed to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics losing all three matches and being outscored 5-1.
Source: Canada to face Mexico in Olympic qualifying
