Canada coach picks Dayne St. Clair to start in goal in Gold Cup quarterfinal

Dayne St. Clair has earned the starting job in goal for 30th-ranked Canada against No. 106 Guatemala in Sunday's quarterfinal at the Concacaf Gold Cup.

St. Clair started in the 6-0 win over No. 75 Honduras and 1-1 draw with No. 90 Curacao while Maxime Crepeau was in goal for the final Group B game, a 2-0 decision over No. 81 El Salvador on Tuesday in Houston.

WATCH | Canada stunned late, settles for draw with Curacao:

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Prior to Sunday, St. Clair and Crepeau had each started 10 games under coach Jesse Marsch. In choosing St. Clair for the knockout round, Marsch has elevated the Minnesota United 'keeper in the pecking order.

"(Dayne) has been, I think, outstanding in the tournament and clearly, in training also, very, very strong," Marsch told a news conference Saturday. "That being said, I want to also say this has never been an easy decision and our belief in Max is at the highest level as well. And he's trained really well and been really sharp

"I think Dayne has done enough to earn this opportunity. And in this knockout stage, we're trying to put what we think is the team that is the most prepared and most ready for what these matches will be. And for right now for me that's Dayne."

St. Clair was the lone Canadian named to the Major League Soccer all-star team earlier this week. The 28-year-old from Pickering, Ont., is tied for the MLS lead in shutouts with eight and has made 43 saves in 16 matches.

St. Clair has kept six clean sheets in 14 appearances for Canada. The 31-year-old Crepeau, a native of Candiac, Que., who plays for the Portland Timbers, has eight shutouts in 26 Canada appearances.

Guatemala, meanwhile, has lost goalkeeper Nicho Hagen, a backup