University of Portland junior midfielder Josh Simpson pushed the Canadian Under-20 National Team into the quarterfinals of the 2003 FIFA Youth World Championship, played in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Simpson, from Victoria, B.C., scored the only goal in the Round of 16 match against Burkina Faso, propelling Canada to the final eight. Simpson scored the game-winner from the left-hand corner area in the 59th minute with a left foot stunner to the top corner, notching the first goal at the championshiops scored against Burkina Faso’s goalkeeper Daouda Diakite’s.

“We are obviously very proud of the boys,” said head coach Dale Mitchell. “We tried to encourage them that they had a real chance to get to the last eight.”

“We defended well, kept the ball well at times, and broke out at times dangerously; one of those produced a great goal by Josh Simpson.”

With the win, Canada advances to their first-ever quarterfinals at the Youth World Championships. The Canadians will play the quarterfinal on Friday in Abu Dhabi against the winner of tomorrow’s Paraguay vs. Spain match.

Canada was knocked out in 1997 in Malaysia by Spain by a score of 2:0 in their only other trip past the first round at the FIFA World Youth Championships.