Alphonso Davies scored as Canada earned a 1-1 draw against Costa Rica on Tuesday in the preliminary round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The 16-year-old Davies’s third goal in two games came in the 26th minute and helped the Canadian men’s soccer team move one step closer to qualifying for the knockout rounds of the tournament.
READ MORE: Edmonton’s teenage soccer phenom Alphonso Davies named to Canada’s Gold Cup roster
Watch below: On March 25, 2016, Julia Wong profiled teenaged Edmonton soccer player Alphonso Davies. At the time, he had been selected for Canada’s U-20 soccer team, but his story began in war-torn Liberia.
Francisco Calvo replied for Costa Rica in the 42nd minute, heading in a corner kick.
Canada now has four points through two games, which is generally enough to qualify for the quarter-finals but there is still one game to play against Honduras on Friday night in Frisco, Texas.
With a young, new core showing early promise, it was a lovely build-up that led to Canada’s goal.
Michael Petrasso sent midfielder Scott Arfield on his way with a pass on the right side. Arfield then crossed over and Davies timed his run perfectly to sneak past a Costa Rican defender and slotted in his left-footed shot.
Canada nearly saw out the half but Calvo eluded defenders Steven Vitoria and Samuel Adekugbe and headed in the equalizer.
Goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who left Canada’s first game against French Guiana in this tournament with a black eye from a collision with teammate Samuel Piette, was back in goal and kept Canada in the game with a number of fine saves.
Costa Rica’s David Guzman unleashed a powerful right-footed effort but Borjan dove to his left and pushed away the shot with his right hand.
Davies ended up coming out in the 69th minute with what appeared to be an ankle injury. It didn’t seem too severe with him walking without much of a limp to the Canadian bench.
READ MORE: Teen soccer star from Edmonton impresses in history making debut for Team Canada
Watch below: On May 11, 2016, Jay Janower filed this report, profiling teen soccer phenom Alphonso Davies.
Canada hopes to advance to the quarter-finals of the biennial Gold Cup for the first time since 2009.