Canada’s win over USMNT shows Copa was no fluke as they climb to the top of CONCACAF

KANSAS CITY — As the Canadian men’s national team left Children’s Mercy Park, there were no grins of joy after a 2-1 victory over the United States. Instead, their gazes were narrow — focused only on what lay ahead.

How times have changed.

“Even when we were down 2-1, there was never a moment when we were unstable or scared of the situation. We were strong, we were committed and it made me proud to be their coach,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch said in his post-match press conference.

Canada’s last win over their CONCACAF rivals, a chilling 2-0 victory in Hamilton, Ontario during qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, was followed by declarations of how “New Canada” had finally arrived. Three years earlier, Canada’s previous Nations League victory over the USMNT had been hailed as a turning point under John Herdman. That night in Toronto, you could almost hear the roars of celebration from Canada’s dressing room outside the stadium as a perennial underdog finally found its feet.

Yet the emotions Canada displayed after this victory over the team that Marsch called the region’s “measuring bar” were a 180-degree turnaround from those days.

With Canada’s dominance against a lackluster American team, they have reason to believe that results like this shouldn’t come as a surprise. And they should have reason to believe that their impressive fourth-place finish in the Copa America — the best performance by a CONCACAF team — was no fluke.

Teams can build momentum in tournaments and use that momentum to unexpected results. It was worth wondering whether Canada’s Copa America performance was the product of a new manager’s momentum — and disappointment can often follow momentum.

Canada’s performance against the U.S. national team shows that there is no let-down yet. Under Marsch, Canada seems to be the best team in CONCACAF, while the U.S. national team and Mexico are struggling to find their way.

“This win is huge for us,” Alphonso Davies said to The Athletics after the game. When asked if they were the best team in the region, Davies said: “We work there. Do we think we are the best team? No, because all the lads are humble and we know there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Still, it was hard not to sense the newfound bravado from Marsch and his team in the lead-up to this game, especially given the storyline: the American-born Marsch previously applied for the job of U.S. coach in 2023. Marsch correctly predicted the 2-1 score days before kickoff, and that kind of attitude can haunt a coach and a team. But it didn’t. Canada was the better team, and they were more physically assertive, winning duels and maintaining a forward-thinking mentality.

“That 67-year curse is over, right?” a Canada Soccer official, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, said in a declarative, but not necessarily proud, manner as he left the team’s dressing room.

Canada won in the United States for the first time since 1957, but given the way they pressured the home defense, stormed the midfield and created chance after chance with sharp energy, it appears this won’t be Canada’s last victory in the United States for the next two generations.

With the 2026 World Cup approaching and the three host nations under the microscope, Canada should no longer be content with an invitation to the ball.

Canada’s self-confidence seems limitless at the moment.

“I would rather coach Canada than the U.S. right now,” Marsh told reporters after the win. “You see the mentality that’s developed. You see how this team plays. You see how much they love playing for the national team, and they’re willing to risk their careers, their lives, the way they play to be the best they can be for each other and for the team.”

We see this Canadian team fully embracing Marsh’s demands for high-intensity pressing. This is no easy feat, as players come from different systems with their clubs and high-pressing football is often rare at international level.

“Every practice for Canada is so intense,” Jacob Shaffelburg, the scorer of Canada’s first goal, told reporters after the game. “It hits me every time I come into camp. You’re dead after an hour of practice.”

Canada not only looks like a team that has been transformed under Marsch; they also seem capable of continuing to improve their play against the teams they need to beat.

“Everybody’s been really into it,” Shaffelburg said. “It’s fun to play, the confidence from your brothers that they’re going to be there when you push.”

There is context to this USMNT performance. They were missing six key players, including Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna. But the plodding, effortless performance seems deep-seated and not something a few players could fix.

Canada was missing Ismael Kone and Tajon Buchanan, two of their most potent players and also guaranteed starters. However, Canada’s player pool continues to evolve.

Marsch wanted players to take their game to the next level. No one doubts that Davies, Jonathan David and Stephen Eustaquio will be the starters in 2026. But Marsch wants to determine which second wave of players he can count on and some of the best players against the US were considered peripheral players.

Shaffelburg, a winger who was effectively sidelined by Toronto FC in 2022, continues his ascent, scoring his fourth goal in 17 games for Canada.

Mathieu Choiniere replaced Kone in midfield and covered a lot of ground, looked physically determined and made smart plays. “Really excellent,” Marsch said of Choiniere.

Ali Ahmed, in his eighth appearance, was bursting with the energy and decisive defensive action that could earn him a regular starting spot. “Fantastic,” Marsch, speaking in the post-match press conference, said of Ahmed. “But I’ve seen him play with his club and he’s improved his performances enormously.”

When Marsch took over in May, he was quietly concerned about the strength of his bench, but he should now feel more confident about digging deeper into his selection. Contrast that with the U.S. team: against Canada, did it really look like any of those players? wanted the victory? The difference in effort level was astonishing.

“The adjustment to be the team I want them to be tactically and mentally, it’s been a real pleasure to coach them,” Marsch said. “That’s what I think you see today: the discipline, the organization, the aggressiveness, the understanding of how we want the game to look.”

The new coach bump in results is one thing, but Marsch has increased the physical and tactical demands. This young Canadian team is up to its challenges, suggesting more positive results are on the horizon. And victories over the United States should no longer be considered a surprise.

(Top photo: Kyle Rivas/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)