Ottawa soccer fans proud of Canada's showing at World Cup
Canadian soccer fans erupted into cheers inside Ottawa’s Glebe Central Pub when Canada scored their first goal at a men's world cup, just minutes into the game Sunday.
Ottawa's Eldrinson Vado was overcome with emotion.
“When you’ve been a football fan for more than 20 years to see Canada score is a really special moment you can’t control it,” said Vado.
“I think I blacked out for a second,” said Eddie Behin. “I can’t believe we scored that soon.”
The historic moment was something one Canadian soccer player has been waiting decades to see.
“Just being there is a success; scoring a goal is incredible,” said Atletico Ottawa’s Carl Hawthorne. “Look around, it just shows how far soccer has come in the country in the city.”
The goal by Alphonso Davies was the first for a Canadian man at the international tournament.
But Canada's joy was short-lived, as Croatia moved into the lead, eventually winning 4-1.
“We’re disappointed but we’re still proud, we’re still cheering,” said supporter Ejamil Mbae. “It’s been, what, 36 years since we made it to the World Cup?”
The loss means Team Canada has been eliminated from advancing in the tournament, but fans were still buzzing about the team's performance on the global stage.
“We more than showed we deserve to be there,” said supporter Sarah Rutherford.
The team still has one game left to play in Group F before heading home. They’ll face Morocco on Thursday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.