FIFA World Cup 2026 is a big deal for Canada, which is hosting 13 games in Toronto and Vancouver. This is perhaps the best opportunity to grow the sport in Canada, which failed to notch a point after qualifying for the World Cup in Mexico in 1986 and Qatar in 2022.
“We need the whole country to get behind us,” Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio, who has played for Canada since 2013, told TSN after scoring the winning goal to lead Canada to a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan before 46,000 fans in cold rainy Edmonton, site of Canada’s legendary “Ice-teca Stadium” win over Mexico amid snow and ice in 2021.
Canada has serious injury problems ahead of its World Cup Group B opener versus Bosnia-Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto on June 12. Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies and speedy winger Jacob Shaffelburg did not play in the chippy friendly which saw at least 13 fouls called. Marcelo Flores ruptured his ACL last week. Moise Bombito, who hadn’t played since breaking his tibia last October, slid on the wet turf and then collided with teammate Derek Cornelius. He limped off alongside a trainer after 30 minutes of sluggish play.
But coach Jesse Marsch’s team also boasts more depth than perhaps any team in Canada’s history. After failing to create bonafide chances in the first half, Canada’s second unit played with more urgency. Tani Oluwaseyi set up goals by Osorio and then Jayden Nelson, who boosted his chances to fill Flores’ place on the roster. While Canada mainly played through Ismael Kone and left winger Liam Millar in the first half, striker Jonathan David showed flashes in the second half. Promise David returned from injury and scored a goal nullified by offside. Alistair Johnston and Niko Sigur looked solid at the back, among others.
While pundits debate a potential “keeper controversy”, Max Crepeau made big saves in the first half, and Dayne St. Clair sealed the shutout for Canada in the second half.
“We need to clean things up. We gave up some chances,” said Crepeau, who sprung forward to cut off the angles to stop two break-aways in the first half. “We need to find another gear. The win is amazing but we need to tidy things up a bit.”
Coach Marsch called it a good first match for Canada. “We were dangerous on the counter. A lot of good performances,” he told TSN. “Some of these games lack intensity. Despite our situation with the injuries, we have to stay focussed on our goals. I thought our guys’ mentality was perfect. Edmonton likes the bad weather more than the good. The fans were great. It’s only going to grow as we move forward.”
Fans in Edmonton were relieved to see the two goals after Canada failed to score (other than two penalty kicks) in the past six months against Ecuador, Tunisia, Iceland and Australia.
Midfielder Stephen Eustáquio, who wore the captain’s armband versus Uzbekistan, told reporters on Sunday that his team are focussed on making Canadians proud. “I think us as a country, we’re trying to develop as much as we can. Obviously, we believe that we have a very strong team, and that we can push things, but we respect everybody that has been through this path,” he said, according to Canadian Soccer Daily. “Obviously, they had their hard moments trying to break rock to make Canada a football country in this matter — or a soccer country, however you want to say — but at the same time, I think we both share the same motivation, the same goals, is to make Canada as much proud as possible.”
“I think the association has been doing a very good job in terms of letting us really think about what we need to do (on) the pitch,” Eustáquio said. “Our matter is to make 50,000 people very happy. Obviously we’re going to have probably another sellout in Montréal, and then the first game in Toronto is going to be amazing. My goal and the players’ goals is to get out there and do the best we can to represent Canada.”
Marsch told reporters in a Zoom call on Sunday that Canada chose 50th ranked Uzbekistan because they resemble first round opponents Bosnia and Qatar in some ways. “They defend really well, and they’re a big team, athletic team, so you know from that sense, I think there’s some Bosnia and Herzegovina in there, and some Qatar in there a little bit because of the (same confederation), but I think Cannavaro (Uzbek coach and former Italian player) has done a good job with them,” Marsch said, according to Canadian Soccer Daily. “We want to go and play our version of football, to be aggressive, to be on the front foot, to make it hard on Uzbekistan, and make sure that we take another step forward in our preparation, and make sure that we use it as confidence to get ready for Bosnia.”
Words and images copyright Christopher Johnson Globalite Media all rights reserved
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