Say the phrase “Iceteca” to any soccer fan in this nation, and it’ll immediately deliver a smile to their face as they recall probably the greatest moments in the historical past of the Canadian males’s staff.
It was on a chilly, snowy night time at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 16, 2021, that Canada earned a memorable 2-1 win over Mexico, a consequence that set Les Rouges on a path in direction of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Quick-forward to Monday: On a chilly, wet and depressing night time, Canada marked its first time again at Commonwealth Stadium with a convincing 2-0 win over Uzbekistan in its penultimate match earlier than this summer time’s FIFA World Cup. Substitutes Jonathan Osorio and Jayden Nelson scored for the Canadians in this worldwide pleasant, whereas Tani Oluwaseyi additionally made an influence off the bench with a pair of assists.
Listed here are three takeaways from the match.
A recreation of two totally different halves from Canada
Canada sits thirtieth in the present FIFA world rankings, 20 spots above Uzbekistan, which is able to make its World Cup debut this summer time.
But it surely was the guests who carried the majority of play and appeared much more harmful in the primary half, as evidenced by their 9-3 edge in complete photographs. Whereas Canadian forwards Jonathan David and Cyle Larin have been fairly nameless, the perfect possibilities of the opening 45 minutes fell to Eldor Shomurodov. If not for the Uzbekistan ahead’s lack of ending, the guests might have simply gone into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
Canada appeared timid and erratic earlier than the break and wanted to do one thing to present itself a bounce begin. It got here in the type of wholesale modifications by coach Jesse Marsch, who introduced seven gamers off the bench in the beginning of the second half, together with each eventual aim scorers Osorio and Nelson, in addition to Tani Oluwaseyi.
The brand new blood injected some much-needed life into Canada, which dominated the ultimate 45 minutes, with Oluwaseyi enjoying the position of playmaker in organising each targets from Osorio and Nelson, who is without doubt one of the gamers eager to switch the injured Marcelo Flores in Canada’s World Cup roster. Nelson did himself no hurt along with his marvellous attacking show, Oluwaseyi made a case for himself to start out subsequent to Jonathan David in main Canada’s assault on the World Cup, and Osorio (Canada’s most skilled participant with 9 caps) reminded everybody that he nonetheless has loads to supply.
Ahead Promise David didn’t rating, however he did get into harmful scoring positions after being subbed on in the seventieth minute, an encouraging signal in his first recreation again for Canada after struggling a hip damage in February. And defender Alfie Jones, additionally getting back from damage, helped Canada lock issues down after his introduction into the match with 20 minutes left in regulation.
Monday’s win allowed Marsch to take a look at some gamers forward of Canada’s World Cup opener versus Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 at BMO Subject, though he insisted that is not what this pleasant was largely about.
“My focus is much less on evaluating people and ensuring that everyone understands their roles and understands the form of behaviours we would like, and that we’re clear with precisely what the sport must appear like,” Marsch stated. “And so, for essentially the most half, I believed we executed that, however there’s nonetheless little issues in there that we will tighten up, and we are going to.”
Les Rouges lastly rating from open play
Each Nelson and Oluwaseyi appeared particularly energetic after being subbed on in the beginning of the second half, and it was the latter who performed a task in Osorio’s opening aim.
Canada pressured a turnover inside Uzbekistan’s half, and the ball ultimately discovered its technique to Oluwaseyi as he performed a terrific cross into the penalty space for the TFC captain. Osorio took a contact after which fired a low shot on the close to put up that snuck in beneath goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov to interrupt the impasse.
Nelson put the sport away in damage time along with his third aim for Canada by way of a beautiful chip shot off a setup from Oluwaseyi after he pressured a turnover inside Uzbekistan’s half of the pitch.
The targets have been Canada’s first from open play in three video games in 2026. Each targets in a 2-2 draw with Iceland in Toronto on March 28 have been scored by Jonathan David from the penalty spot, whereas Canada was held to a 0-0 draw versus Tunisia three days later. Earlier than these matches, Canada hadn’t scored from open play since Ismaël Koné’s first-half strike in a 2-0 win final November versus Venezuela ended the staff’s total aim drought at 342 consecutive minutes.
For sure, Osorio and Nelson’s well-taken targets versus Uzbekistan will give Canada a serious confidence enhance going into the World Cup.
“There had been lots of speak about (how) we’ve not scored targets from the run of play, understandably so, as a result of we hadn’t. However I saved saying the targets are coming, as a result of I do know that we have now lots of firepower,” Jesse Marsch stated.
Did Maxime Crepeau win the beginning goalkeeper job?
Jesse Marsch hasn’t but declared who’ll be Canada’s beginning goalkeeper on the World Cup, as Maxime Crépeau and Dayne St. Clair have been concerned in a tightly contested battle for the job for shut to 2 years.
Marsch revealed in the buildup to Monday’s match that each would play one half every in opposition to Uzbekistan, whereas stating nothing ought to be learn into the truth that Crépeau was going to start out.
Crépeau made essentially the most of being the primary goalkeeper in the highlight, developing with a giant save to disclaim Eldor Shomurodov in the twenty seventh minute. The Uzbekistan ahead went on a probing run after latching onto a harmful by ball and unleashed a driving shot from simply outdoors of the field, solely to see Crépeau do nicely to get down low and tip it broad of the far put up.
Crépeau’s positioning was spot on as he completely learn the play because it developed in actual time and bailed out his defenders with a superb cease.
St. Clair changed Crépeau in the beginning of the second half and made a good cease on Igor Sergeev’s left-footed shot after the Uzbek ahead managed to peel away from Canadian defender Luc de Fougerolles.
However total, Crépeau was extra spectacular on the night time and was put below much more stress in the primary half when Uzbekistan managed the sport than in the ultimate 45 minutes when St. Clair was between the posts and Canada dictated phrases.
Canada’s remaining World Cup tune-up match is Friday versus Eire in Montreal, and Marsch nonetheless isn’t saying who’ll be Canada’s starter this summer time. However don’t be stunned if Crépeau will get the nod primarily based on the energy of his show in Edmonton.
“We want to decide concerning the goalkeeper this week,” Marsch stated. “As soon as once more, they each delivered actually good performances, which is what I anticipated, and now I’ve to decide. So, there’s some accountability on my shoulders, proper? However once more, I can not make the unsuitable choice, as a result of we have now two actually good goalkeepers which have delivered efficiency after efficiency for the nationwide staff. They each need to be the starter.”
Editor’s notice
John Molinaro is without doubt one of the main soccer journalists in Canada, having lined the sport for over 27 years for a number of media retailers, together with Sportsnet, CBC Sports activities and Solar Media. He’s at present the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, an internet site devoted to in-depth protection of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer.
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