Canada–United States sports rivalries

Canada–United States relations

Canada
United States

Because of their proximity and similar sporting cultures, Canada and United States are frequent rivals in a wide variety of international sports.

Overall rivalry and the Olympic Games

For both countries, the Soviet Union was often the most hated rival in most international competeitions before 1991. However, since the fall of the Soviet Union, the two neighbouring countries have been heated rivals, especially in winter sports where the talent pools of the two countries are more evenly matched. In summer sports the United States's larger population and longer season give a tremendous advantage, and its main rival at the Summer Olympics is now China.

In the run-up to the 1998 Winter Olympics, Los Angeles Times columnist Mike Penner named Canada the United States' most important rival, especially in hockey.[1] and USA Today ran the headline "Cold War now means Canada", with Canadian columnist Terry Jones reporting that the Canadian Olympic team approved of the comments and shared the news clippings around the athlete's village in Nagano.[2]

Baseball

The talent pool of professional and amateur ball players in the United States is much larger than in Canada. Therefore it was considered a major upset when Canada defeated the United States in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, which some commentators called a "Miracle on Dirt", reference to the Miracle on Ice when the US national hockey team beat the USSR in 1980.

Cricket

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.[3]

Ice hockey

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.

Men's

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 defense man 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.[4] Canada defeated the US in the gold medal game at the 2010 Olympics on Canadian soil in Vancouver. Most recently the two teams faced off against each other in the 2014 Olympics in sochi semi-final for the right to go to the gold medal game which Canada won.

Junior

The two countries are perennial rivals at the World Junior Hockey Championships for players under 21 years of age.[5]

Women's

Canada and the U.S. have faced each other in the championship game of nearly every Olympics and World Championships since the beginning of international play. Few of Canada's and the U.S.'s losses have been to teams outside their rivalry.

Lacrosse

Field

Men's

No team other than Canada or the US has ever won the World Lacrosse Championship. The US has nine championships, and Canada three.

Rugby

Union

Mens'

Both countries are middle-of-pack internationally in rugby union, and therefore closely matched. Canada's first win in an international "test match" was against the USA in 1977. The teams formerly faced each other in the regional PARA Pan American Championship and Churchill Cup, and still do in the Pan American Games.

Wheelchair

Men's

The rivalry between the two teams was the subject of an Oscar-nominated 2005 documentary film Murderball.

Soccer

Men's

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 is 14-0 in favor of the United States, and American soccer fans generally look to Mexico as the main rival, and not Canada.[6] Canada is considered to be a secondary rival.[7]

A Canadian club, Galt F.C., 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. On the other hand, Canada's under-20 team defeated the US to win their group of the 2003 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament in Charleston, South Carolina.

Women's

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 nations' senior sides met in the third place match of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup on American soil in Carson, California. Also, Canada's senior team beat the US under-20 team in the final of the 2008 Cyprus Cup. At the 2012 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Vancouver, the US defeated Canada 4-0 in the final.

By 2012 the US clearly had the edge, winning every match since 2001, 26 in a row. There was a memorable match between the two teams during 2012 London Olympics semi-finals, which a concacaf.com columnist had described as the most important of their 26-year-long rivalry on the international scene.[8] The Canadians led the match at three different points, but were ultimately defeated in overtime, allowing the Americans to advance to the Gold Medal Match.

References

  1. ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/1998/feb/01/news/ss-14560?wwparam=1352415931
  2. ↑ http://www.canoe.ca/SlamNaganoColumns/feb19_jones.html
  3. ↑ http://www.canadacricket.com/?p=1039
  4. ↑ http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=518285
  5. ↑ http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2011/01/04/16750221.html
  6. ↑ http://blogs.thescore.com/footyblog/2011/06/08/canada-us-soccer-rivalry-as-limp-as-a-wet-noodle/
  7. ↑ http://blogs.thescore.com/footyblog/2011/06/08/canada-us-soccer-rivalry-as-limp-as-a-wet-noodle/
  8. ↑ http://www.concacaf.com/page/WOQ/NewsDetail/0,,12813~2872658,00.html