Boakai bangs in big goal for Canadian U17 National Team

From the examiner.com

A magnificent long-range strike from Hanson Boakai gave Canada a 1-1 draw with Costa Rica yesterday and sent the team through to the quarterfinals at the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship in La Chorerra, Panama.

The Costa Ricans had taken the lead courtesy of a lobbed effort from Arington Torres, but Boakai's goal restored Canada's comfortable grip on first place in Group B and was enough to move the team to within one game of qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The Canadian U-17s will next take on the second-place team from Group A in the tournament quarterfinals on April 13.

The winner of the quarterfinal will be one of four CONCACAF nations to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup to take place in UAE in October.

"I knew it was dangerous to come into this game playing for a result - so I asked the boys to focus on their performance," said Canada’s head coach Sean Fleming. "Hanson Boakai scored a quality goal and ultimately that was important to see us through.

"We know that whoever we go on to face in the quarterfinals will be quality, so we will have to be prepared."

Canada play either Barbados, Panama or Jamaica in the all-important quarterfinals, with final standings in Group A still to be determined.

Canadian midfielder Marco Dominguez received a late yellow in the match, his second of the tournament, which means that we will now be suspended for the next match.