It was a poignant moment. As Vancouver ended their practice at the Kia Training Ground last Tuesday another set of players were taking the field.

They were Toronto FC’s Under-18s, but before practice began pleasantries were exchanged with their Vancouver counterparts.

Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson had brought a young squad to Toronto. The reasons for this were twofold: Vancouver had a league game against Columbus on the weekend and this was the Canadian Championships semifinals, an important competition for this country and the young players it develops.

So there were the kids from both Toronto and Vancouver’s academies, who knew each other from national team games and all-star tournaments, yucking it up before going their separate ways. Marco Carducci met with former national team star Craig Forrest, as the younger Canadian prepared to make the biggest start of his club career.

Fast forward to Wednesday night. The streets surrounding BMO field are filled with friends and family of a number of Canadians expected to feature in the first leg of the semifinal. Alongside them are young kids from a number of soccer programs in the area; kids who live to see the Bradleys and Defoes of the world up close.

The aforementioned stars play a big role in Toronto FC’s 2-1 win. Defoe displays sublime touch on the game’s opening goal.

Ryan Nelsen’s side registers several chances that go wanting before Bradley exhibits the strength and endurance required by world class players. He makes an incredible run and finishes off a Defoe pass to make it 2-0 just before the 90th minute.

Another star on display is Vancouver’s 19-year-old speedster Kekuta Manneh, whose late introduction gives the visitors life. Manneh scores a vital away goal and the game ends 2-1 Toronto.

Young Canadians on display

Perhaps even more impressive than these star turns? How well the young Canadians acquitted themselves in front of a sellout crowd.

On the Toronto side was Doneil Henry, who recovered well from a tough game against New England, and Kyle Bekker. Veterans Issey Nakajima-Farran and Dwayne De Rosario also featured. They played alongside a younger Canadian crop making their presence known.

Vancouver’s lineup featured a bevy of Canucks, including former TFC Academy standout Russell Teibert, who captained his side. Bryce Alderson, Kianz Froese and Marco Bustos started, with Froese generating widespread praise post-game. Carducci was hesitant at times, but settled in during the second half.

"If they continue going in the right direction, they continue to get their opportunity and they play like they did today then not only Vancouver Whitecaps FC but Canadian football is in good hands,” Robinson said following the match.

The following day Canada’s women’s national team took on the United States in front of 28,255 fans at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg.

Another young star thrives in the spotlight - 18-year-old defender Kadeisha Buchanan is brilliant on both sides of the ball, scoring her first goal as a member of the national team. The U.S would find an equalizer in the 78th minute, but Buchanan is the story.

"Kadeisha Buchanan, 18-year-old, going toe-to-toe with some of the best strikers in the world and she scores a goal tonight,” said teammate Desiree Scott. “Unbelievable performance."

Head coach John Herdman went a step further.

"She's the (Christine) Sinclair of defenders, she's that good," he said, referring to Canada's all-time leading scorer.

Our recent memories of Canada’s national programs on the international stage are heartbreaking ones. An 8-1 defeat in Honduras ended the men’s World Cup dreams in 2012 and prompted a changing of the guard. The women contested an amazing 2012 Olympic semi-final in London against the U.S only to suffer defeat in extra time.

How Canada builds on those results two years on serves as a litmus test for both programs - and the early indicators look promising.

