By Al Clark
al@canucks-abroad.com
Will Johnson: Photo: Dale MacMillan
For once the predictions were right; the US looked superior than their Northern counterparts, and ran out comfortable winners. The Olympic flame, or at least Canada's Olympic dream, has been extinguished.

The writing was on the wall when Peter Nowak named his starting XI; for the first time in four games the US Coach opted for a side that actually made sense, in a formation that made sense. It was the best team available from the players in his squad.

Canada's squad sported several collegiate players, and no less than three players currently without a club. Of this group, there were four who started the game, and Kyle Hall came in as an early substitute. Only back-up keeper Monsalve was not involved. Contrast this to what is a near embarrassment of riches in CONCACAF terms on the US side - with stars like Adu, Altidore, Edu and a spate of MNT standard players.

Had David Edgar, Jaime Peters, Simeon Jackson et al been made available this might have been a different game.

We knew the Americans would be better rested, but it was more than that. Canada simply never found their groove, never connected as a team and ultimately played second - or perhaps third - fiddle for the entire game.

Is it a let down? Sure - but it doesn't change the fact that they did well to make it this far. Improbable? Well perhaps. It's disappointing that Canada won't get the chance to go to the Olympics and reap the benefits of further development as a group of players.

All credit to Nick Dasovic who looks like a promising young Coach. He made the best of the hand that was dealt to him by the CSA, his limited talent pool and uncooperative club managers like Kevin Keegan.

On the day, it was Freddy Adu whose star shined brightest. Two goals from set-pieces (including a first that Wagenaar would like back) and an assist on the final, killer, blow reminded Will Johnson who the real star of the show was. All this from an 18 year - who would still be eligible for the Olympics next time around. I guess the Adu band-wagon is back a-rolling, because he looked every bit the hot prospect he was once considered. He and Altidore, reprising their successful U20 World Cup partnership, looked like a world class strikeforce of tomorrow.

So, no disappointment and only a little regret that the Maple Leafs couldn't muster a little more. Their passing was bad, their finishing worse and to end a Semi-Final without a shot on target speaks volumes.

So, Dasovic and crew will head into Sunday's meaningless 3rd place game against Guatemala. It will be interesting to see who plays and just how different the scoreline will be from the 5:0 trouncing of a week ago. No doubt the Mexicans, and Hogo Sanchez in particular, will be wondering that too....

Match Stats (Source: www.concacaf.com)

USA – CANADA 3:0 (1:0)
Freddy ADU 27’, 48’; Sacha KLJESTAN 78’

USA: 1-Chris Seitz – 2-Marvell Wynne, 3-Michael Orozco, 5-Nathan Sturgis, 6-Maurice Edu-C, 7-Stuart Holden, 10-Dax McCarty, 11-Freddy Adu (82: 20-Eddie Gaven), 12-Jozy Altidore (75: 9-Charles Davies), 16-Sacha Kljestan (88: Robbie Findley), 17-Jonathan Spector. Booked: Altidore 66’
TD: Peter NOWAK

CAN: 18-Joshua Wagenaar – 2-Graham Ramalho (54: 9-Andrea Lombardo), 4-Dejan Jakovic, 5-Andrew Hainault-C, 6-Nikolas Ledgarwood, 7-Andrazes Ornoch, 10-Will Johnson, 11-Tosaint Ricketts, 14-Tyler Hemming, 15-Tyler Rosenlund (76: 17-Marcus Haber), 16-Keegan Ayre (30: 13-Kyle Hall). Booked: Hainault 47’, Johnson 89’
TD: Nick DASOVIC

Statistics: USA – CAN
Goal Attempts: 13 – 9
Shots on Target: 7 – 0
Saves: 0 – 4
Fouls: 10 – 7
Corners: 4 – 3
Offsides: 3 – 0