Hundreds of Calgary soccer fans cheer Team Canada at watch party on Tsuut’ina Nation
Hundreds of hyped-up Calgary soccer fans gathered for a Team Canada watch party at the Tsuut’ina Seven Chiefs Sportsplex Sunday morning.
Calgary Minor Soccer Association hosted the event as Canada played Croatia in their second group stage match from Qatar at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Fans celebrated early, as 68 seconds in, Canada’s Alphonso Davies, on a magnificent header, scored Canada’s first-ever World Cup goal.
Carlo Bruneau, executive director with CMSA said that goal will go down in the history books.
“To be here in person, with 700 of our closest friends, definitely a special moment for us,” said Bruneau.
Bruneau added that with the men’s team showcasing themselves on the world stage, the game is growing exponentially year by year.
“Canada is very diverse,” he said.
“It's only a matter of time until soccer takes over as the sport of choice for all Canadians. It truly gives that see it and you can be it feeling.”
The event also hosted members from Cavalry FC.
One of them, midfielder Charlie Trafford, played three games with the national team between 2015-2017.
“It's so cool to see the soccer culture growing, the amount of people coming out the next generation of those kids coming,” said Trafford.
“It's so cool to see kids in Canada jerseys. We were talking about that," Trafford said. "You didn't see that even a couple years ago, so it's a special thing to see that growing.”
Later, fans were much more subdued as Croatia equalized in the latter stages of the first half.
Then, on the brink of halftime, in the 44th minute, Croatia scored again to take a 2-1 lead.
A turning point in the match according to head coach John Herdman.
“The second goal, I thought they were a little bit lucky with that,” he said.
“At 2-1, we are opening ourselves up and again. I was proud of our lads, the way they pushed, but then you're vulnerable, (to) the Croatian counter attack, which is so clinical.”
Croatia added two goals in the second half while the Canadians could not find a way back into the match.
JUBILIATION FOR CALGARY CROATS
Although disappointment for many on Tsuut’ina land, it was jubilation at Limericks Traditional public House on Macleod Trail.
There, the Calgary Croat Sports Club celebrated the Croatian comeback.
“It’s an extra bonus this year that Canada is in it, obviously we were excited for their team as well,” said Croatian fan Frano Cavar.
“It was a bit of a shame they were matched up in the same group, and obviously in a perfect world we would see both teams advance.”
For Limericks co-owner George Kaketsis, the World Cup is what makes his establishment tick.
“The pubs are soccer, and soccer is a big part of what Limericks does,” said Kaketsis.
“These big events, we try to organize it, we specialize in it and we have the capacity for it, so we definitely try to focus in on it.”
The 4-1 defeat ended Canada’s hopes of advancing in the 2022 World Cup. However in 2026, Canada will be a host nation of the world’s largest sporting event, meaning it receives an automatic invitation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.