In a stunning turn of events, Canada defeated the USA 2-1 in an international friendly held in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday. This victory marks Canada’s first away win over the USA since 1957, breaking a 66-year drought and highlighting a shifting dynamic in North American soccer.
Canadian forwards Jacob Shaffelburg and Jonathan David capitalized on defensive errors by the USA, scoring in the 17th and 58th minutes respectively. The visitors dominated the match statistically, leading in shot attempts (17-8), shots on target (7-5), and corner kicks (7-2).
Luca de la Torre provided a glimmer of hope for the home side with a goal in the 66th minute, but it was not enough to overturn Canada’s lead. Historically, Canada has struggled on U.S. soil, securing only two wins in 27 matches over 99 years, making this victory particularly significant.
Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch, who was appointed in May after being passed over for the USA coaching position earlier in the year, expressed pride in his team’s performance. "I’d much rather coach Canada than the U.S. right now," Marsch stated after the match. "You can see the mentality that’s been developed. You can see the way this team plays. You can see how much they love playing for the national team and they’re willing to put their careers and lives and the way they play on the line to be the best they can be for each other and for the team."
Meanwhile, USA’s interim coach Mikey Varas, soon to be replaced by Mauricio Pochettino pending his contractual resolution with Chelsea, critiqued his players’ mindset. "The mentality is on the players. They know it," Varas told reporters. "We speak the truth to each other. I love those guys. But they know that mentality to fight, to run, and to sacrifice, I can’t do that for them. That’s on them."
Varas continued, "I’m not a psychologist, so I don’t know. I felt that the trainings were intense. They were aggressive. But when the game comes, you gotta get going. And the players are the ones that bring that. Coaches can only get you so far from a mentality perspective."
The match not only underscored Canada’s resurgence in international soccer but also raised questions about the USA team’s psychological readiness and adaptability under pressure. As both teams prepare for future competitions, the emphasis on mentality and teamwork appears to be a critical factor in their success.
Reference(s):
Coach on USA's historic home loss to Canada: Right mentality lacking
cgtn.com
