Canada Cans a 56-0 Win in Sardinia over Italy.

Cagliari, Italy - Fourteen years and 8,000 km later, the Canadian Senior Men's Team looked like they never left international football.

Canada - who last played at the international level in 2011 - scored in all three phases of the game and employed some trickery in a convincing 56-0 win Italy on the island of Sardinia.

The Canadians scored passing, rushing and on a double pass play on offense, with an interception returned for a touchdown on defense, and through special teams with a blocked punt recovered for a score.

Italy head coach Brian Michitti introduced new faces to the Italian roster to cast an eye over potential players for when Italy joins Austria, Finland and Germany in the European men’s tackle Final Four tournament in Dusseldorf in October.

Canada was clinical on offense and took the lead when quarterback Michael O’Connor found Javonni Cunningham for a 23-yard touchdown and Michael Domagala tagged on the first of eight successful extra points on his perfect afternoon.

Chris Merchant then lined up under center and pitched a lateral pass to Dallas Dixon on Canada’s next drive and as the Italian secondary bit, Dixon was able to loop a pass deep into the end zone for tight end Hayden Amis to double the visitors’ advantage.

Linebacker Max Nixon produced a pick-six of Alessandro Zerbo on Italy’s first play in response and Canada led 21-0. A 19-yard burst up the middle by Ryth-Jean Giraud opened a 28-0 lead then Merchant found diving receiver Trivel Pinto in the end zone for Canada to hold a 35-point advantage at halftime.

After the break the Canadian defense again stepped up as Kevin Victome produced an interception, which led to Jamel Lyles racing three yards off tackle for a touchdown.

O’Connor tossed a fourth quarter scoring pass for Amis snag his second touchdown reception and make it 49-0. Then Canada’s versatile repertoire created another way to score when Nixon blocked and recovered a punt that he returned a short distance to the end zone to score his second six points of the game.

Canada, working with Italy and Germany will continue to work on a schedule to complete the first Gridiron Nations Championship in November.

-with a file from IFAF

SCORING SUMMARY

CANADA 56 AT ITALY 0

At Cagliari, Sardinia, ITA

First Quarter

TD - CAN           O’Connor 22 pass to Cunningham (Domagala PAT GOOD)                 7-0        11:05

Second Quarter

TD – CAN          D. Dixon 45 pass to Amis (Domagala PAT GOOD)                             14-0      0:50

TD – CAN           M. Dixon 28 Interception Return (Domagala PAT GOOD)                    21-0      1:35

TD – CAN          Giraud, 14  run, (Domagala PAT GOOD)                                          28-0      6:40

TD – CAN          Merchant 33 pass to Pinto, (Domagala PAT GOOD)                           35-0      14:10

Third Quarter

TD – CAN          Lyles, 4 run, (Domagala PAT GOOD)                                              42-0      11:30

Fourth Quarter

TD - CAN           O’Connor 11 pass to Amis (Domagala PAT GOOD)                            49-0      4:23

TD – CAN          M. Nixon, 5 blocked punt return (Domagala PAT GOOD)                     56-0      6:16

SCORE BY QUARTER

                        1          2          3          4        Total

CANADA          7         28         7         14         56

ITALY                0          0          0          0          0

A: 1,106

Highlights: https://youtu.be/aXaGL238Ig0?si=D32wecyAKWe_MfRQ