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CARSON, CALIF. — An offensive outburst has erased Canada's disappointing outing against Haiti and kept its Olympic qualifying dreams alive.
Will Johnson and Tosaint Ricketts each scored twice to put Canada in the semifinals of Olympic qualifying for men's soccer with a 5-0 victory over Guatemala in the CONCACAF qualifying tournament Sunday.
Kyle Hall also scored and goalkeeper Josh Wagenaar made three saves for his first shutout with the under-23 team at the Home Depot Center.
Canada advanced to the semifinals because of superior goal differential over Mexico. Canada and Mexico finished Group B play with four points each after Mexico beat Haiti 5-1 in Sunday's late game, but Canada had a goal differential of plus-4 to Mexico's plus-3.
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As the group's second-place team, Canada will play the United States on March 20 in Nashville, Tenn. A victory would give Canada one of two Olympic berths reserved for North America in men's soccer — and Canada's first since 1984.
"The players were unbelievable," said Canadian coach Nick Dasovic, who expressed concerns about his team's fitness after Friday night's 2-1 loss to Haiti.
"The energy was always a worry for me," Dasovic said. "But the one thing we have in this group is the pride and passion of playing for your country, there's no doubt about it.
"Guys who got off planes were running for three full games — on fumes, I'm telling you. They were extraordinary."
Johnson put Canada ahead in the 45th minute with the team's first shot on goal, a 25-yard free kick that bounced inside the right post.
Dasovic called that goal a turning point.
"That goal came at a very important time," he said. "It just changed the tempo of the game".
Tyler Hemming set up Johnson's third goal of the tournament in the 46th minute. After taking Hemming's through ball, Johnson dribbled down the right end line, eluded defender Rafael Morales and struck a one-yard shot behind goalkeeper Ricardo Jerez.
"I dribbled around the first centre back, who was too close, and I spun him," Johnson said. "I had my head down and didn't really have time to look to see if I could pass it across to someone."
Ricketts scored his first goal in the 57th minute. Johnson began the play with a corner kick that Andrew Hainault headed off the upper-left post. An unmarked Ricketts stuck his right let out and poked a shot from three yards.
In the 80th minute, Ricketts converted a diagonal 19-yard shot from the right flank that settled inside the left post.
Hall ended the scoring in the 90th minute with a 13-yard line drive into the upper-left corner off Tyler Rosenlund's corner kick.
Wagenaar kept Guatemala from scoring first in the 11th minute when he dived in front of the right post to stop Abner Trigueros' 15-yard shot.
Johnson returned to the starting lineup after serving a mandatory one-game suspension for receiving a red card in Wednesday night's game against Mexico.
Defender Graham Ramahlo and forward Marcus Haber made their tournament debuts. Ramahlo started at right back and Haber replaced Andrazes Ornoch in the 90th minute.
