CANADA DOING IT AGAIN AMERICANS' SEMIFINAL OPPONENT PICKS RIGHT TIME TO PLAY LIKE GOLD.

Byline: Fred J. Robledo Staff Writer

PASADENA - Few expected Canada, ranked No. 92 in the world by FIFA, to be back in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals. But there it is, facing the United States tonight in the Rose Bowl.

In the opening game of the semifinal doubleheader, Costa Rica faces the Republic of Korea at 6 p.m., followed by the U.S.-Canada match at 8:30.

In the 2000 Gold Cup, Canada cost tournament organizers more than $100,000 because it kept winning. First, Canada won a coin flip to reach the quarterfinals after tying with South Korea in group play. Once there, it eliminated three-time Gold Cup champion Mexico, scoring in overtime for a 2-1 victory.

Without Mexico, and coupled with the Americans' quarterfinal loss, the Coliseum was almost empty for the remainder of the tournament. Canada went on to defeat Trinidad & Tobago in the semifinals, then Colombia 2-0 in the championship to win its first major competition in 115 years of playing the sport.

As far as organizers are concerned, the headache is back again. Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador, the biggest draws of the tournament, were sent home over the weekend. In Saturday's quarterfinal in Miami, Canada defeated Martinique 6-5 on penalty kicks after the two tied 1-1 in regulation.

The Canadians always have been unpredictable. They were eliminated in the semifinal stage of World Cup qualifying, and in six games in 2001 have had losses to Egypt, Japan, Cameroon and Malta. But they drew with four-time World Cup champion Brazil 0-0 last February.

The U.S. is 9-8-7 all time against Canada, but the Americans haven't lost to their neighbors since 1985 - a span of eight matches. The two haven't met since the Americans' 3-0 victory in Vancouver back in 1997.

``I have not seen Canada play in this tournament, but I generally know how they play,'' U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. ``They're very difficult to play against and they've been successful here. Nobody has been able to eliminate them in this tournament for some time.

``(Beating them) is going to be a tough task because they play everyone tough. They have a physical presence and are outstanding on restarts, which is an area they get a lot of their goals.''

Arena said U.S. striker Ante Razov, who played at UCLA, was injured in Sunday's 4-0 quarterfinal victory over El Salvador and is out the remainder of the tournament. That means Clint Mathis, the ex-Galaxy forward who returned in a limited role Sunday after missing more than six months with a torn ACL, could see more minutes.

AT A GLANCE

What: CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals

When: Tonight at the Rose Bowl

Matchups: South Korea vs. Costa Rica, 6 p.m.; U.S. vs. Canada, 8:30 p.m.

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

AT A GLANCE (see text)