Barrie soccer fans witnessed sporting history Sunday as Canada scored its first-ever World Cup goal against Croatia before falling 4-1.
The score did not reflect the effort the Canadian team put forth, and regardless what was essentially a tournament-ending loss, local fans said the Canadian players can hold their heads high.
A packed house at the Canadian Brewhouse at Park Place in south-end Barrie cheered and jeered along with members of the local League1 Ontario team, the Simcoe County Rovers FC, who hosted a watch party for fans.
Canada set the pace after young star Alphonso Davies notched their first goal just 67 seconds into the match, causing the crowd inside the pub to erupt with euphoria, having witnessed a momentous marker and the rising hope for a possible first-ever World Cup victory.
Peter Raco, co-owner and CEO of the Rovers team, was on hand to support Canada’s team and watch a bit of sports history.
“This is a great turnout here and it shows that there is a passionate soccer fan base here in Barrie, and it’s really nice to have this group come together," Raco said.
There are plenty of connections between the Rovers FC and the national team, as president and majority owner Julian de Guzman is a former team captain of the national squad.
There were also two players with the World Cup team on the pitch today who have connections to the Rovers, such as team co-owners Atiba Hutchinson and teammate Cyle Larin, who is currently the top scorer in men’s national history.
Soccer fan Steve Hills was on the edge of his seat for most of the game.
"We looked great, made huge strides and was impressing the world, but it’s scary to watch. So tense," Hills said.
Rovers FC goalkeeper Ryan Collins, who has in the past trained with a few of the players on the national team, was also on hand to support the Canadians in Qatar.
Collins called the loss "an unfortunate result, but it’s fantastic to finally see Canada score in a World Cup."
"The performance was OK, but unlucky result," Collins added. "When the World Cup rolls around again (in 2026), we’ll be able to get a win.”
Team Canada fan Connor Torrence’s reaction to that first-ever World Cup goal summed up what most are feeling about another memorable piece added to our country’s sporting history.
"It was electric," Torrence said. "That play is something that I’ll probably remember for the rest of my life.”
