April 2, 2011
GUATEMALA CITY - San Diego State men's soccer players John Pegg (Edmonton, Alberta) and Jordan Ongaro (Edmonton, Alberta) have helped the Canadian U-20 National Team advance to the quarterfinals of the 2011 CONCACAF Championships.
Canada finished second in Group C with three points. Canada defeated Guadeloupe, 2-1, on Monday and fell to tournament defending champion Costa Rica, 3-0, on Friday.
Canada now faces Mexico on April 5 with the winner earning a spot in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia and a spot in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Championships. Mexico easily won its group with a 3-0 victory over Cuba and a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago. Mexico has the oldest team in the tournament with 17 of its 20 players born before 1991.
Pegg has started both games for Canada, playing every minute of both games.
Both Pegg and Ongaro made significant contributions in Canada's three exhibition matches played as a part of the last Canadian U-20 camp which ran from Feb. 5-12. Pegg came on late and put in the only goal of the match during a Feb. 10 international friendly against Trinidad and Tobago to give Canada the 1-0 win. One day later, Ongaro recorded two assists to help lead Canada past Florida Gulf Coast in a 2-1 exhibition match. Both Aztecs came on in the second half during an earlier exhibition against D.C. United and helped Canada draw with the Major League Soccer squad, 1-1, over the final 45 minutes.
Canada U-20 CONCACAF Schedule
Group Play
March 28 - Canada 2, Guadeloupe 1
April 1 - Costa Rica 3, Canada 0
Quarterfinals
April 5 - Canada vs. Mexico
Semifinals
April 8
Championship/Third Place
April 10