TORONTO– Team Canada has won its first of two meetings against Team USA 2-0 in the CONCACAF Nations League.
In the 63rd minute, Alphonso Davies, the breakout midfielder of Bayern Munich, buried the first goal. In the 90th minute, Lucas Cavallini struck the ball in the back of the net off the wing, propelling Canada to victory. It is the third consecutive CONCACAF Nations League where Canada has not given up a single goal. The first two meetings against Cuba resulted in Canada winning 6-0 and 1-0 respectively.
From the start of the match, Canada and the USA played an intense brand of football. The first half had everything, from two yellow cards for the United States to numerous corner kick opportunities. But Canada remained calm, controlling the possession and showcasing their ball movement. In the 30th minute, Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan made a jump and catch save, keeping it a scoreless contest.
At the start of the second half, Canada came out the aggressor. The 49th minute saw Davies, who was involved in earlier chances to score, cross the ball into the box to Jonathan David, who just missed the net. The subsequent United States possession, Milan Borjan made another brilliant save from point-blank range, demonstrating his nifty hands.
Eventually, it was Davies who would bring the crowd of 17,126 raucous fans at BMO Field to its feet. Jonathan David fired a laser ball to American goalkeeper Zack Steffen. He stopped it but could not control the rebound in the box, giving Davies a wide-open net to score.
Canada’s 2-0 victory against the USA is significant in more ways than one. The last time the Canadian men’s soccer team defeated the United States was in 1985, during a friendly in Vancouver. It was 1980, 39 years ago, when Team Canada beat its nation rival south of the border in a competitive fixture.
The mission for Canada Head Coach John Herdman is very clear; to prove to the world that Canadian soccer belongs on the World Cup stage. Now with 10 points in the CONCACAF Nations League group with one match to play, the dream is becoming closer to reality.
“The mindset is very clear and we’ve got a mission and that is to take this group to the World Cup in 2022,” Herdman said.
Main Photo: OCTOBER 15– Alphonso Davies shines with Canada’s only goal to defeat Team USA 1-0.
