First place in the Concacaf World Cup qualifying standings is up for grabs in Hamilton, Ontario as the U.S. men’s national team faces Canada in a battle of the top two teams in the Octagonal standings (3 p.m., Paramount+, Telemundo, Universo).
The Americans are coming off a 1-0 win vs. El Salvador on Thursday in a match that left something to be desired as far as the USMNT’s form. Canada is fresh off a comfortable 2-0 victory in Honduras to maintain its undefeated record.
The Canadians are without Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, who has been sidelined by heart inflammation caused by his recent bout with Covid. The Americans are without Tim Weah, who was unable to travel for the match due to Covid vaccination requirements in Canada that Weah did not meet.
Here is a rundown of SBI’s pre-match coverage:
Can Christian Pulisic find his groove in crucial USMNT qualifier vs. Canada? (READ)
Who will, and who should start for the USMNT vs. Canada? (READ)
USMNT embracing challenge of beating Canada in clash of Concacaf leaders (READ)
The SBI Show: Episode 349 (Previewing USA-Canada) (READ)
Tim Weah to miss USA-Canada due to Covid vaccination requirements (READ)
Walker Zimmerman has solidified leadership role in USMNT defense (READ)
Concacaf World Cup qualifying preview: Mexico hosts Costa Rica, and more (READ)
SBI’s editorial staff will provide some updates and insights in the comments section. Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions as well.
Enjoy the action.
Where are the excuses now? Everyone was expecting 9 points and we’re only at 3 during this round.
The problem is playing ball to feet. When you play like that, you are expecting your players to use their individual ability to beat players off the dribble. Not everyone has that level of skill, and it’s easy for teams to quickly recover their shape because you move the ball too slow since it is to the feet instead of space.
Go back and play ball to space, and pull people out of position and have your fast players run into those channels.
This is a coaching decision, so 100% is on Berhalter. Berhalter Out!
And wasn’t the expectations of 9 pts pretty unrealistic? I mean this isn’t 2015 Canada even without Davies they’ve got some dudes. Most of those guys play in Europe too. Don’t think for a second that Canada didn’t purposely choose a narrower pitch as part of their defensive strategy either.
We are the NL and Gold Cup winners, and Canada were without Davies.
Why would 9 points be unrealistic? We’re not playing Mexico at Azteca or CR away, that would be unrealistic of getting full points.
You don’t think the USSF general manager or GB knew they were playing on a narrow turf field, and couldn’t have prepped for that before hand and this was an unexpected scenario? They couldn’t find some high school field nearby to train on it before? These guys are professionals, no excuses.
The big issue with the USMNT is it cannot seem to find a way through, behind or around a packed aggressive defense. Today was no exception. Slow movement of the ball side to side meant it was easy for the defense to shuffle side-to-side and keep the spaces clogged. The passing must be quicker and when it is the players must be quick to pass through the slots that will open up, when the movement is faster.
Lots of possession 35 yards out will not result in goals unless it is much quicker and able to find those little slots that open up momentarily in even the best defenses. Relying on a player or two to dribble in the box hoping to beat multiple defenders of get a PK just will not work.
Final: Canada 2 – USMNT 0. It’s a historic day for Canada, who claims a first home victory against the Americans since 1997. Canada moves four points clear of the USMNT in the table with the win. Not a great day at all for the USMNT, who missed golden chances to tie the game when it was 1-0. More pressure now on the team ahead of Wednesday’s match vs. Honduras.
That game comes down to the coach. He made too many mistakes.
1- possession is great unless you can’t do anything with it. He had no secondary game plan but dump and run.
2- Zardes was the trash man he always is against better opposition.
3- by using all of his subs we finished with ten men.
Well, I can’t say the result was undeserved. It would be nice if the US had some attackers who could really attack. While the Canadians have made falling down a fine art, I still have this feeling that if we swapped coaches with Canada we would be better off.
So much whining on this thread. We got outplayed and our coached. Might say you saw this coming when El Salvador was too much trouble for us. Not much to learn here except that Canada is a better team, and our young talented squad needs more time.
We didn’t get outplayed. We won dang near every important stat… except the one that counts. We were outcoached
We didn’t get outplayed. We won dang near every important stat… except the one that counts. We were out coached
Out coached for sure. Typo in my original post. I still say outplayed though. If our team can’t push through that defense, it’s poor play. And while Canada didn’t concede the game, they more or less conceded possession. Unless you’re 2009 Barca, possession does not mean you’re outplaying anyone. Disappointing
I went back and began counting the fouls after the release, stopped when I hit 15…in the 1st half alone.
If we played the way Herdman did, and won, there’d be a TON of whining about how we did it, lol.
Not one yellow for any of that crap. Canada is now the dirtiest team in our region. And the won like that. Good for them but it’s not whining. That’s what we get here when we win ugly 😉
2-0 Canada as Sam Adekugbe delivers the dagger. Deserved win for Canada.
Arriola almost comes up with a sensational equalizer. USMNT misses another golden chance. 89′
just another uncalled foul that leads to Richards injury
pathetic, at home, and the ref is totally in on it all.
our region is a flat out joke and I’m proud of how we’ve played in this. would love a result somehow, we deserve one
10 mins to go for USMNT. Can they snatch a goal and a precious point? Been a pretty ugly performance today overall. 80′
Matt Turner does well to deny Larin his second goal, but created a bit of a mess for himself after failing to gather David’s original effort. Easily could be 2-0 Canada. 73′
you may notice when canada gets the ball in an attractive place they at rapid speed head to net as opposed to head for the flag to eagerly play weaving keepaway, then switch to the other flag to play more keepaway, then hit a wayward cross in thinking zardes might possibly finish it. canada is a talented but not better team. canada is better coached. we are trying to showcase skill players dancing on the ball. they are trying to score goals.
two guys by the flag hitting playful passes back and forth is what one does to NOT try to score goals. it’s how you run clock in the 90′ up a goal. that seems to be our Base Offense.
people need to quit defending the coach and his personnel choices and system based on minnow games. proof of concept is does it work against an actually good team. proof of concept is does our table standing reflect talent. proof of concept is do we even look like we ever played together before.
lol, watching? after every release, a foul. Herdman at home. playing like that and the complicit ref. Man I would love to see us get a result out of this, excellent testin overcoming the art of CONCACAF BS
oscar worthy acting job by vitoria, throw an elbow then grab your own face and flop.
Herdman’s teams all play the same. His expertise is teaching the dark arts, women’s teams, men’s teams, doesn’t matter to him. His biggest tactical gift to the game is fouling on purpose from behind after the release knowing it will play on advantage. all his teams do it and today a willing accomplice in the zebra who is more like a donkey. not one card for all of that so of course we’ll get to enjoy more 2nd half. This is Herdman, at home. It’s a nice talented team, why play like that? Canada is now the dirtiest team in CONCACAF, and that is really saying something as you all know. Their women’s team used to be….
What a frustrating game. So much more possession, a lot more chances, one great save by the Canadian GK and we are losing. Either there is no finish or the final pass isn’t good enough, or whatever. Our offense right now sucks.
CP is a turnover machine and creates nothing except one free kick. not good enough and defensively the weak link n the pressure too. he’s been set up many times in space and has to do better, my opinion
HT: Canada 1 – USMNT 0. Not a great half at all for the Americans, who trail Canada 1-0 thanks to an early Cyle Larin finish. USMNT had a chance to tie it up through McKennie and also Pulisic, but missed those chances. Americans need to get it together and fast or they could be bumped out of third place by end of the day.
Who do you want to see on the field? Is it too early for changes? I’d have to say Ricardo Pepi needs to be on for Gyasi Zardes.
Weston McKennie with a golden chance to tie this match up before halftime, but misses his header. USMNT will once again go into a halftime break without a goal.
i took goal kicks up through NCAA and sorry but short and up the middle (did that make half?) is a no-no coached out of most people by U16. adjunct to you teach kid defenders clear high, wide, and long. the idea is create offense and find attackers with fewer people draped on them, but all else fails to not to have it come right back in your face in 2 seconds.
don’t think the unnecessary new CB pairings helped that one either. i like richards and he should rotate in all of a sudden we change starters?
Pulisic brought down by Mark-Anthony Kaye just outside of the box. Dangerous spot for USMNT to deliver here.
why do we 3 years into GB’s tenure still look like we barely played together before, when we try and combine into the box?
Because he’s not a very good manager.
Miles Robinson hasn’t played a game in almost 2 months. Why is he starting here when Brooks is at home?
I thought this was about the Brook’s “form”?
The USMNT able to get the ball in the final third, but not a lot of good looks. Pulisic now able to get a shot off, but blocked. USMNT may need a different route to shake its forwards free.
as per usual under GB they look tentative when trying to be direct and often end up pulling up and playing it harmlessly wide. when they do head right at net they look like they have never played together. the system doesn’t work and seems to undermine natural attacking aggression.
Aaronson decked in the box by Kamal Miller, but the foul goes against the USMNT winger. Frustration for the Americans who aren’t getting many calls so far. 19′
Would love to see some line splitting passes from either CB to open things up
Good pressure from the USMNT after conceding first. Getting the ball into some dangerous areas, but overall not getting a good look towards goal. Need some Aaronson or Pulisic one-on-ones.
Miles Robinson spun by Cyle Larin for the opening Canada goal. A killer counter from John Herdman’s squad, who takes the early lead. Lets see if the USMNT can respond and fast. 12′
I guess zardes is in to press. The fact that he is not in season and the cold must turn his already brick feet into something even less useful must fall into Greg’s plans somehow.
Zardes up top, flanked by Christian, and arronson Same midfield trio, and miles Robinson for Zimmerman.