HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats got their first win of the season on Sunday night after defeating the Ottawa REDBLACKS 21-13 at Tim Horton’s Field.
Tyreik McAllister had the big play of the night on a 64-yard touchdown reception, his only catch of the game. James Butler added 64 yards on the ground on 15 carries.
Jameer Thurman led the Ticats’ defence with nine tackles and two sacks.
Jeremiah Masoli returned to game action exactly one year after suffering a leg injury that cost him the rest of the 2022 season and the first three games of 2023. Ottawa was 5-12 in that span. But he would leave with another injury in the first quarter.
The Tiger-Cats jumped out to an early lead on their first drive of the game after a dropped touchdown pass by Tony Godwin in the endzone would lead to a 13-yard Marc Liegghio field goal.
On Hamilton’s next drive, Matthew Shiltz ran for a first down but then took a time count violation penalty and then was sacked on the next play by Bryce Carter.
The Tabbies would add to their lead in the second quarter with another Liegghio field goal from 50 yards.
On the next Ottawa drive, Masoli’s pass to Justin Hardy was tipped into the hands of Hamilton’s Chris Edwards which would lead to another field goal from 20 yards out to give the Ticats a 9-0 lead with ten minutes to go in the half.
Bad luck would strike the REDBLACKS on their subsequent drive when after Masoli moved out of the pocket, he went down with another leg injury on a non-contact play. He was carried off the field and would not return to the game.
However, Ottawa was in field goal range and would get themselves on the board with a 36-yard Lewis Ward field goal to cut Hamilton’s lead to six late in the half.
The Ticats failed to convert a third down on their next possession, turning the ball back over to Ottawa.
Dustin Crum took over at quarterback for the REDBLACKS but would be sacked by Jameer Thurman on his first drive at pivot.
But on Ottawa’s next drive, Crum would run the ball in for a touchdown. Ward would knock the extra point in to give the REDBLACKS their first lead of the game, which they would take into the half.
The REDBLACKS extended their lead to 13-9 in the third quarter on a 20-yard Ward field goal.
Hamilton would promptly turn the ball back over on their next possession when Shiltz threw the ball right into the hands of Ty Cranston.
But the REDBLACKS gave it right back to the Ticats on an interception from Simoni Lawrence and the Tabbies would capitalize on the next play, after Shiltz threw a short pass to Tyreik McAllister who would take it 64 yards to the house.
The Hamilton defence got to Crum on Ottawa’s next drive, knocking the ball out of his hands. After it bounced around for a bit, Ted Laurent would scoop up the loose rock.
The back and forth continued when Kiondre Smith fumbled a pass from Shiltz. The ball would bounce off Brandin Dandridge and out of bounds, giving possession back to Ottawa.
Hamilton extended their lead to 18-13 with ten minutes to go in the fourth quarter on a 34-yard field goal from Liegghio.
Ottawa gave the ball right back on the next drive after Crum threw an interception to Richard Leonard with nine minutes left in the game.
The Ticats added to their lead one more time just before the three-minute warning after a Liegghio field goal made it 21-13.
Thurman got to Crum with two minutes left for his second sack of the night.
This is the first time in Ottawa football history that three different starting quarterbacks have been used in the first four games and the first time in the league since Hamilton in 2014 (Collaros, Masoli and Lefevour).
The REDBLACKS came into this game leading the league in sacks on a per-game basis with an average of 4.0 per game.
Despite the home opener loss, the Ticats are now 7-2 in their last nine home games and have not lost at home to the REDBLACKS since 2018.
The Ticats are 10-2 coming off a bye week since 2018.
The Ticats open Week 6 with a trip to Edmonton to face the Elks on Thursday. The REDBLACKS will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday, July 15 at TD Place.
LONDON – Canada will meet three-time champion Germany in the Davis Cup quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain this November.
Canada secured a berth in the quarterfinals — also called The Final 8 Knockout Stage — with a 2-1 win over Britain last weekend in Manchester, England.
World No. 21 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal anchored a five-player squad that included Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., Gabriel Diallo of Montreal, Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., and Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C.
The eight-team draw for the quarterfinals was completed Thursday at International Tennis Federation headquarters.
Defending champion Italy will play Argentina, the United States will meet Australia and Spain will take on the Netherlands. Schedule specifics have yet to be released but the Final 8 will be played Nov. 19-24.
Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz were unbeaten in doubles play last week to help Germany reach the quarterfinals. The country’s top singles player — second-ranked Alex Zverev — did not play.
The Canadians defeated Germany in the quarterfinals en route to their lone Davis Cup title in 2022. Germany won titles in 1988, ’89 and ’93.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Canada, fuelled by a 2-1 win over the U.S. and scoreless draw with Mexico, has jumped two places to No. 38 in the FIFA men’s world rankings released Thursday.
Of the top six CONCACAF teams, Canada was the only one to move up. Mexico was unchanged at No. 17 while the U.S. and Panama each fell two rungs to No. 18 and 37, respectively
Costa Rica slipped one spot to No. 50 and Jamaica two places to No. 61.
It marks Canada’s highest ranking under coach Jesse Marsch, who was hired in mid-May when the Canadians were ranked 50th. Since then, the team has climbed to No. 49, 48, 40 and now 38.
Canada has been as high as No. 33 in the men’s ranking, achieved in February 2022 under John Herdman with Canada, named the “Most Improved Side” in 2021 by FIFA, turning heads with an unbeaten run in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
The new rankings encompass 184 internationals involving teams from all six confederations including 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia, Oceania and South America.
The top 10 was unchanged with Argentina ahead of France, Spain, England, Brazil, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Colombia and Italy. But the gap at the top is closing with Argentina losing 2-1 away to Colombia and 3-1 at home to Italy.
Teams 10 through 15 were also unchanged. But there was movement after that in the form of Japan (, up two), Iran (No. 19, up one) and Denmark (No. 20, up one). Egypt (No. 31), Ivory Coast (No. 33), Tunisia (No. 36) and Algeria (No. 41) all jumped five places while Greece (No. 48) climbed six spots.
The biggest movers were Brunei Darussalam (No. 183) and Samoa (No. 185), who vaulted seven spots on the back of two wins apiece.
Qatar suffered the biggest drop, tumbling 10 places to No. 44.
San Marino remains at the bottom of the rankings in 210th place despite recording its first victory in more than 20 years, San Marino defeated Liechtenstein 1-0 on Sept. 5, ending a 140-game winless run since a 1-0 decision over the same opponent in April 2004.
Liechtenstein fell four places to No. 203.
Canada’s next match is an Oct. 15 friendly against Panama at Toronto’s BMO Field. The next men’s ranking will be released Oct. 24.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024
HOUSTON (AP) — Brian White scored in the second half to rally the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
Houston (12-9-8) took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Ezequiel Ponce scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Ponce’s third goal this season came after Amine Bassi drew a foul on Whitecaps midfielder Pedro Vite following a video review. It was Ponce’s sixth career appearance, all starts.
Vancouver (13-8-7) scored the equalizer in the 73rd minute when White, who entered in the 60th, used assists from Fafá Picault and Ryan Gauld to find the net for the 13th time this season. Picault’s assist was his fifth, matching his career high for a single season. Gauld’s assist gives him a career-best 13 on the season.
Yohei Takaoka, who had clean sheets in his last three starts, finished with one save in goal for the Whitecaps.
Steve Clark saved three shots for the Dynamo, who remain one point behind Vancouver in the Western Conference standings.
Houston, which was coming off a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake, has allowed just 33 goals this season.
Vancouver — 6-2-2 in its last 10 matches overall — leads the all-time series 10-9-6.
The Whitecaps remain on the road to play the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday. The Dynamo travel to play Austin FC on Saturday.
