Because of their proximity and similar sporting cultures, Canada and United States are frequent rivals in a wide variety of international sports.
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While cricket is not among the most popular sports in either country, they have the distinction of having played against each other in the first ever international match of any sport in 1844.[1]
For both genders and at all ages groups, Canada - US games are among the most important in international hockey. Since the decline of the Soviet Union in 1991, this rivalry has certainly been one of the most emotional.
The two teams have been close rivals since the early days of international hockey, facing each other for the gold medal at the first Olympic hockey tournament in 1920. For most of the mid-twentieth century, Canada had much more skilled teams and tended to judge itself only against the Soviet Union. The Americans were only able to beat Canada at the 1960 Winter Olympics. However during the 1991 Canada Cup, American defenseman Gary Suter cross-checked and injured Canadian superstar Wayne Gretzky, creating a feeling of animosity towards the US team among Canadian fans. In 1996, the United States - for the only time in its history - won a best-on-best men's tournament by defeating Canada at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey on Canadian soil in Montreal, and Canadians now viewed the American team as its main rival. Canada had revenge by beating the US for the Gold at the 2002 Olympics on American soil in Salt Lake City.[2] Most recently Canada defeated the US in the gold medal game at the 2010 Olympics on Canadian soil in Vancouver.
The two countries are perennial rivals at the World Junior Hockey Championships for players under 21 years of age.[3]
These two teams have faced each other in the championship game of nearly every Olympics and World Championships since the beginnings of international play. Each team is the other's only major rival and neither team rarely loses to any other country.
The rivalry between the two teams was the subject of a Oscar-nominated 2005 documentary film Murderball.
The The two clubs frequently face each other in the Gold Cup, however the United States has historically been the stronger side. The overall record As of 2011[update] in 14-0 in favor of the United States, and American soccer fans generally look to Mexico as the main rival, and not Canada.[4]
A Canadian club, Galt FC, did beat an American club, Christian Brothers College, for the Gold at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, however.
The US under-23 team defeated Canada to take the bronze medal at the 1999 Pan-Am Games on Canadian soil in Winnipeg. While Canada's under-20 team defeated the US to win their group of the 2003 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament in Charleston, South Carolina.
The two teams are more closely matched than in the men's game, providing for more close finishes. Notably the two nations faced each other in the final of the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship on Canadian soil in Edmonton, with the United States winning. The two nation's senior sides met in the third place match of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup on American soil in Carson, California. As well Canada's senior team beat the US under-20 team in the final of the 2008 Cyprus Cup.