The U.S. men’s national team is one victory away from repeating as Concacaf Nations League winners, but a dynamic and hungry Canada squad will be seeking to pull an upset in Las Vegas on Sunday night.
B.J. Callaghan’s squad rolled past Mexico 3-0 on Thursday in the semifinal round, booking a return to the tournament final for the second-straight edition. Canada edged Panama 2-0 in its semifinal tie on Thursday, using a Man of the Match performance from Jonathan David and a lively cameo from Alphonso Davies to reach its first tournament final since 2000.
Although much of the spotlight in Las Vegas has been on the recent re-hiring of Gregg Berhalter as USMNT head coach, Callaghan reiterated the goals that his squad came into camp with.
“When we all came in and made this commitment that we want to win a second [Nations League] trophy, that’s where our immediate focus goes,” Callaghan said Saturday in a press conference. “Once this tournament concludes, that group of players will be able to maybe think about it in a different way. But right now there’s a real focus and determination to finish the job that we all bonded and agreed upon when we came together 10 days ago, give or take.”
“They’re [Canada] a good team with structure, well-coached,” said Callaghan. “They have some amazing individual and talented players as well, so when you talk about a tough matchup, it’s a tough matchup because it’s a good team. They can hurt you in different ways.”

The USMNT has failed to defeat Canada in its last two head-to-head meetings, which both came during the last cycle of World Cup Qualifying. Canada earned a 1-1 draw in Nashville back in September 2021 before earning a 2-0 home victory in Hamilton back in January 2022.
A new showdown with the USMNT gives John Herdman and his players motivation to continue their recent success against the Americans, especially knowing there is a trophy on the line in the first of two opportunities this summer.
“Usually there’s a bit of spice and energy with Canada and the US,” said Herdman on Saturday. “The rivalry’s been getting stronger. Obviously the U.S. have done some amazing things over the last 20-odd years, picked up a lot of hardware and I think they’re now the leaders in Concacaf.”

The USMNT will be without two key starters for Sunday’s final after midfielder Weston McKennie and right back Sergino Dest were sent off in Thursday’s feisty victory. Both McKennie and Dest delivered positive performances against El Tri, but Luca de la Torre and Joe Scally are like-for-like replacements in Callaghan’s starting lineup at Allegiant Stadium.
Canada and the USMNT are continuing to lead the rejuvenated charge in Concacaf, but Callaghan isn’t ready to compare the two nations just yet knowing their rivalry will continue on Sunday.
“Our standard is to remain in a way that we want to continue to grow and compete against the elite in international football,” said Callaghan. “The standards that we hold ourselves to is how we judge ourselves, so I wouldn’t make it a comparison between the U.S. and Canada or any team in Concacaf.
“We have large aspirations as a country and as a team to compete against the elite and to make the biggest impact we can in 2026.”
On various points …
Glad to see so many others watching on Univisión, and protesting the appalling lack of English-language TV coverage. Yes, failing to air key games like this on a widely available channel (that is, broadcast or standard cable, not premium cable like CBSSN) does indeed seem like taking the entire American soccer project back several decades. Especially in a time of economic stress, soccer should not be a luxury or niche product out of reach to kids and families. (But kudos to CBS for at least showing some NWSL games lately on Sundays. Anyone else watch?)
Re Spanish, for next time (e.g. the Gold Cup), remember you can use CC (closed captioning) to help you follow a little better. I learned the word “pantorrilla” today, meaning “calf,” which is apparently what Reyna hurt late in the first half, badly enough so that he wasn’t able to put weight on the leg, so that De La Torre came in for the second half.
I’ll be watching it back on the DVR in a day or two to try to catch some of the other commentary I missed. But it was fun just hearing the guys so happy for the team. Marcelo Balboa was fizzing. (-:
I was mildly pleased to see a guy like Scally get the chance to play, after evidently chugging along faithfully for quite a while below the radar. (Another big loss has been the TV coverage of the Bundesliga, now down to about 4 games per year, which is pitiful.)
The team seemed to play willingly for Callaghan, and to enjoy playing with each other, even if some specific plays still aren’t quite coming off and longer balls aren’t all reaching people on the other end. If only they could just get together to practice a little more often.
Not the greatest second half but hey we win! Also Reyna is really important to this team going forward and like I said Musah is now a 6! Adams and Musah as your 1 and 1a. Don’t have to worry when Adams is not available.
weah as a starting wingback would be silly and weaken the 90′ offense but sitting on a couple goals i think him back there as a “closer” for 20′ is bright.
Especially with Scally cramping.
jedi is a good defender WHEN HE STAYS BACK AND TRIES TO BE ONE. this has been my difference between him and dest. they just need to tell him to do this more nights.
any more silly people want to lecture me about reyna’s value, whether he plays regularly or not? about richards’ value, whether he plays regularly or not? about scally over dest? lecture me about how reyna SHOULDN’T dribble more?
to me this is a breath of fresh air and the concern is whether GB tries to undo it, or is merely back as a figurehead.
I want to hear about how you said Ream can play left back…
i never said that. i said the opposite. that he was done at LB as of the swiss game and found his way back as a stay home CB.
You must understood him. He said Ream had a second chance because he could move from LB to CB. Whereas Brooks has no other position to move too.
perfect matchup tonight for the tactics to counter Herdman’s obsession with attacking up the flanks
last game would have been incorrect with these tactics my friend, as demonstrated by the very successful tactics that didn’t do what you just said, including attacking with the fullbacks vs. Mexico and providing cover with the midfield rotations (Klopp), vs. tonight keeping the fullbacks back all the time to
1. defend the LONE style of Canada’s approach in every game they play! (they are crazy predictable)
2. exploit their holes in the middle because they are always scrambling to cover after being denied outside (Scally and Jedi along with the midfield tracking)
if this is Callaghan, awesoem awesome awesome…and exactly the perfect perfect example of the difference between always trying to play the same style and impose the same will
vs.
the ever maturing group of young USMNTers who can toll ot different ideas and tactics depending on the competition
this is what’s happening! and I LOVE IT!
ever considered that scally instead of dest, and telling jedi stay home, are what bottles the wides and forces it into the center to be mopped up? that it’s easier as a mid to do my job if the wingbacks cover their men and don’t let balls get played across all night? where i start getting either pulled wide or having to chase guys facing my own net.
mids should be shifting around. their job is more to follow the most dangerous men through the space than to guard someone specific.
IV, I have very clearly expressed what I consider! It’s more observation of what’s happening to see where it seems things are heading ok? not what I want or feel necessarily
it totally played out tonight BTW
🙂
Dest didn’t put a foot wrong on Thursday or in El Cashico. I don’t think anyone was against Richards, if there was they were in the minority.
no, y’all were talking all spring how i was off my gourd saying play richards. richards is our best defender today. nice revisionist history.
saying dest didn’t put a foot wrong against mexico is nonsense. for starters, he got tossed. and then their only offense was wide. hyperbole.
sorry but scally can do 80-90% of his offense and actually mark davies out of most of the game before getting tired.
agreed JR on all counts
CR is a baller, please stay healthy!
Z did not suck tonight either 😉
IV, ok he didn’t put a foot wrong until he got tossed. Mexico got the ball in wide positions but nothing came out of it against Dest. Scally gave more dangerous chances tonight but that’s to be expected because Davies is that good. In the first 20 minutes Davies was dangerous then they switched him to Jedi’s side and he hardly saw the ball. That allowed Joe to get his feet under him a bit and when they switched back in the second with Weah and Aaronson helping he did well. The important thing isn’t whether any of us fans are right or wrong it’s does the team have depth, and tonight says we do at RB. Now we need Tolkin or Jones to step up in GC and give us cover on the left or Vines to get back healthy and playing.
To be fair you also didn’t want Pulisic or Turner to play so…
you see how harmful it is to try bench players and noobs, eg, reyna, balogun, scally. soooooooo scary and detrimental.
and all the guys not playing much for their clubs will cramp after 1′ and not be able to kick a ball straight. pffft.
i actually see value in playing the A team IF they play completely different ie new tactics like we did. that is “learning something.” what i didn’t see the point in was playing drone berhalterball for a caretaker. we now have to see if GB brings back his old crap or is told to evolve to this in his upcoming meeting.
Canada lineup say 4-4-2 but I’m guessing it will be 3 man backline with Kennedy, Miller, Johnston. Davies and Laryea as WB, Osorio, Ikone, and Eustaquio as CMs. Aaronson for Weston, Zim for injured Miles, Scally for Dest.
Need to get Pulisic more involved in the attack.
USMNT playing a different style tonight 🙂
playing it well with different players in a different matchup
the fullbacks the biggest change, defenders first all the way, not getting forward at all, so no Klopp rotation like last game out…style change
this has allowed for more Gio forward but also slowed the Canada flanks which they try to get off all game
Yunus awesome, wanted to wait to see if he could do it again after Mexico’s performance…yes he can. didn’t know he could lay so well there and thought losing Adams would be more damaging…wrong and Great to see
the backs are generally staying back, so the attack is the front 4 attacking at speed with bad intentions — no pauses, no 30 passes — instead of turning the play back and passing among the defenders or by the flag waiting for a wingback to overlap and hit a hopeful ball in.
there is a REASON i have been clowning GB for years. this group has had this potential and only occasionally showed it. the system was a joke.
Yea seems like BJ said we’re not gonna give them too many at bats counterattcking with their speed, Gio really finding the loose areas between the lines..
I’m a little nervous about Musah though, he was GASSED by the time Dest got his card.. Hope he’s telling him to stay home in the 2nd half
and now Callaghan comes out 4 2 3 1
I like this guy!!
42 3 1 with the fullbacks attacking now and the 2 6s covering
cool
44 2 with Scally out and other subs
look where Weah is now
Don’t know if Allegiant stadium will be even half full for the final.
Hey 2tone I thought you said Weston would be able to play tonight?
Never said he would be able to play tonight. I said that the red card should be overturned. Two different statements.
The US did at least submit it for review. It would have been oh so Concacaf to find another US player to suspend while reviewing the Weston footage. So I’ll take it as a win.
We could lose this game, but my biggest complaint is the lack of TV coverage. The European Nation’s Cup was shown on the CBS network, not CBSSN, yet no US main outlet will be televising the NL final with the US and Canada. This is crazy. American interest in soccer is increasing, not decreasing, yet no national network or sports channel will pick up this telecast? While I have Paramount + I prefer the cable channels and will watch a Spanish language broadcast even though my knowledge of Spanish is very limited.
What’s weird is Panama vs Canada was on CBSSN. I’ve loved that Paramount+ broadcast all the Nations Leagues groups and all the WCQ that weren’t in US. It’s just fun to watch St. Kitts vs Barbados, but then put the NL final on at least cable. I understand not putting it CBS because what if the final ends up Mexico vs Canada. But put it on CBSSN it’s a summer Sunday night. Is Week 2 of the CFL really driving up ratings?
well said Gary and JR, seems like a step backwards
not that I mind watching in Spanish, depending, but not the point
“Seems” like a step backwards ??? Shouldn’t be surprised
Those douchenuts make my blood boil….
And I don’t speak Spanish but at least I can watch
backwards is right, this is marginally better than the 90s when some WCQ were PPV and a lot of games were only available in spanish. or ESPN had such a bad crew it might as well have been.
i mean, there’s a writers’ strike on so CBS is showing sunday reruns. CBSSN is showing world of outlaws racing off tape which could be aired whenever they want.
i actually like CFL but the way to handle that would have been to air winnipeg some other week and take a 7 east coast game instead. CFL is pretty good at getting games done in under 3 hours. CFL just published a TV schedule a few weeks back when surely CBS knew by then it had NL. to me a network with a clue can walk and chew gum same time ie get both on TV.
USSF has no direct say in who concacaf sells the rights to, though.
Lose a lot of bite in the midfield without both Mckennie and Adams. I think DLT is quality and good enough to start but is a different type of player. If its Musah, Reyna, DLT we will have a heck of a skilled midfield, but give up a lot of size and defensive ability. I don’t know Canada’s midfield well enough to know how much that will matter, but my real question is who is on the bench if one of those three need subbed? I guess Aaronson for attacking and Johnny is the only 6? Seems really thin in that area.
Booth or Sonora can also play in the 8 role even if it might not be their best spot. Bigger scare might be what if Scally or Jedi get hurt during the match (both Adams and Acosta who used to be the in case of emergency break glass are injured). I’d guess you’d have to bring in Trusty and either play him or Richards at FB or drop Weah to FB.
JR, probably an unpopular idea, but putting Weah at right wingback to man mark Davies wherever he goes might be strategic. Really the two guys that are likely to hurt us the most are Davies and Davisld. Weah may not be as fast as Davies but he is the fastest US player and he is a very good defender. I would man mark David also and take my chances with the other 8. I am probably the only one who thinks this is a good idea though. I would probably use Johnny to man mark David. I don’t think Scalley has the pace to cover Davies without help.
Canada uses 3 in the back & rotates between a 3-5-2, which is 3 central mid’s and a 3-4-3, with 2 central mid’s. Vs Panama they used a 4-4-2. Any formation they use it’s going to have Estaquio & Kone in the middle. Atiba I’vebeenplaying4eva Hutchinson, or Osorio can be the 3rd central mid or be used as backups. Lareya can play centrally also, (he did for Orlando City), though Canada uses him in a wingback role. If we play to our strengths, which is transition, and don’t do play the possession game, we’ll give our northern neighbors more than they can handle. Multiple players haven’t played against Canada. Balogun obviously, but Weah, Scally, Gio & LDT, specifically. Everyone else wants to avenge a loss in qualifying.
the mexico game was a big deal, it’s rarely ever that big a whooping. however i think we’re gonna get a quick referendum again tonight on 2026. the fanboys like to voice 2026 dreams while making canada excuses. both cannot be true. we’ve owned mexico lately so this is the more serious test.
If we don’t match the intensity we showed against Mexico, we’re going to lose. Canada wants this one badly.
We need to jump on them quick and make them chase the game. They’re defensively suspect, and I’d rather the game was decided by the likes of Vitoria and Borjan instead of their forwards…who are – sorry to those who might be offended – better than ours at the moment.
I’m a little concerned that Allegiant Stadium will likely be more than half-empty, with nothing like the charged atmosphere we saw a couple days ago. We always seem to come out flat against Canada, and they have more than enough firepower to make us pay for that.
2nd level seats on StubHub are going for $100. 3rd and 4th level for $40. Even lower bowl in midfield is low 200s. So yes I think it might be fairly empty. Best hope is a lot of those Mexican Americans that bought tickets hoping to cheer on El Tri will throw down their headbands like that little kid Thursday and cheer on the US.
Apparently Miles is injured.
That’s not good. Next man up I guess. Probably will be Zimmerman.
Where did you hear that JR? I haven’t been able to locate anything. Like Tele said, it’s probably Zim in his place. I don’t think there’s much of a difference between him and Trusty aside from experience.
Apparently he was just on the bike at training yesterday. I don’t think anyone official has said he’s out. Might just be Twitter rumoring.
He was taken out against Mexico. You could tell on his face something wasn’t right.
Yeah, I wondered about that too. You almost never see a CB subbed off unless there’s an injury.
thought the same
So Zimmerman & Trusty are the backups, right? I’m confident with either one! If it’s Zimmerman, Richards is on the left and he can continue to use left foot to keep the defense honest. If it’s Trusty, then Richards slides to the right and we get to see his diagonal passes to the front line. With LDT & Scally presumably in the XI that gives Canada a wrinkle in their preparation against us because it’s a different lineup than we had v Mexico.