Balanced Canadian squad rides momentum into clash with USA

During a period lasting more than three decades, Canada would have been a convenient foe for a U.S. national team needing a confidence boost.

That era ended in October of 2019, when a 2-0 Canadian win in Toronto ended the USMNT’s 34-year undefeated stretch against its northern neighbor.

Then, in qualifying play for the 2022 World Cup, Canada was the only team the USA failed beat, tying 1-1 at home and losing 2-0 away.

The USA-Canada friendly on Saturday (4 p.m. ET) in Kansas City pits a home team seeking redemption after an embarrassing Copa America exit against that tournament’s fourth-place finisher.

In the Copa it hosted, the USA mustered a 2-0 win over Bolivia, the weakest team in the tournament, before losses to Panama and Uruguay.

American Jesse Marsch became Canada’s 12th coach in 25 years just before the Copa America. The Canadians managed only one goal in the group stage but advanced with a 1-0 win over Peru and a scoreless tie against Chile after opening with a 2-0 loss to eventual champ Argentina. They defeated Venezuela in a shootout in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, a rematch with Argentina was also a 2-0 loss. In the third-place game, Canada tied 2-2 with Uruguay but lost in the shootout.

U.S. interim coach Mikey Varas has a 24-man roster comprised of 22 European-based and two MLS players.

More than half of Marsch’s squad didn’t require trans-Atlantic travel. He called in 13 MLS and 10 European-based players.

Despite the size of the USA’s European corps, only seven of the 15 who play in top tier leagues started for their clubs last weekend.

Six Canadians started for their top-tier European clubs last weekend. They didn’t include Cyle Larin, who started for Mallorca in its midweek LaLiga game, or Alphonso Davies, who started in Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga opener a week earlier.

The wisdom of the USA’s preference for players who’ve seen limited or no action at the start of the European season over MLS players in a midseason groove will be tested on Saturday.

EUROPEAN-BASED. Both squads include a UEFA Champions League winner, the USA’s Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, 2021) and Davies (Bayern, 2020). In general, Canada’s European legion stacks up well against the USA’s in recent years.

Top-flight European league title winners
USA
1. Malik Tillman (PSV, Netherlands, 2024)
2. Ricardo Pepi (PSV, Netherlands, 2024)
3. Kristoffer Lund (BK Häcken, Sweden, 2022)
4. Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria, 2021, 2022).
Canada
1. Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich, Germany, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023).
2. Alistair Johnston (Celtic, Scotland, 2023 & 2024)
3. Derek Cornelius (Malmö, Sweden, 2023)
4. Stephen Eustaquio (Portugal, Porto, 2022)
5. Cyle Larin (Besiktas, Turkey, 2021)
6. Jonathan David (Lille, France, 2021)
Note: Tajon Buchanan, who’s sidelined while recovering from a broken shinbone suffered at training during the Copa America, won the 2022 Belgian title with Club Brugge and the 2024 Italian Serie A crown with Inter Milan.

What They’re Saying: “Of course, when the [U.S.] national anthem gets played, that’ll be tough for me,” Jesse Marsch said on the “Men in Blazers” show. “But I’m focused on Canada and I’ll be ready to sing the Canadian national anthem, and I’ll be excited about it. Of course, I’m American, but right now, every day I feel more Canadian. The way people treat me here, the way they welcome me here, the way they’ve really brought me in to be one of their own.”

Canada Roster
Name (Club) caps/goals (age)
GOALKEEPERS (3)
Maxime Crépeau (Portland Timbers) 22/0 (30)
Jonathan Sirois (CF Montréal) 0/0 (23)
Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United) 6/0 (27)
DEFENDERS (7)
Moïse Bombito (Nice/FRA) 12/0 (24)
Derek Cornelius (Marseille/FRA) 26/0 (26
Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich/GER) 53/15 (23)
Alistair Johnston (Celtic/SCO) 48/1 (25)
Richie Laryea (Toronto FC) 55/1 (29)
Kamal Miller (Portland Timbers) 45/0 (27)
Joel Waterman (CF Montréal) 3/0 (28)
MIDFIELDERS (6)
Ali Ahmed (Vancouver Whitecaps) 7/0 (23)
Mathieu Choinière (Grasshopper/SUI) 5/0 (25)
Stephen Eustáquio (FC Porto/POR) 42/2 (27)
Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC) 78/9 (32)
Nathan Saliba (CF Montréal) 0/0 (20)
Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split/CRO) 0/0 (20)
FORWARDS (7)
Stephen Afrifa (Sporting Kansas City) 0/0 (23)
Jonathan David (Lille/FRA) 54/28 (24)
Cyle Larin (Mallorca/ESP) 73/29 (29)
Liam Millar (Hull City/ENG) 32/1 (24)
Tani Oluwaseyi (Minnesota United) 6/0 (24)
Jacen Russell-Rowe (Columbus Crew) 6/0 (21)
Jacob Shaffelburg (Nashville SC) 16/3 (24)