The Sunday showdown everybody needed will occur, simply not the way in which most anticipated.
A determined Canadian seek for a males’s worldwide trophy will stretch on to the summer time after Raul Jiménez clinically guided Mexico to a 2-0 win and a spot within the Concacaf Nations League Closing in opposition to unlikely opponent Panama, who dispatched the US earlier on Thursday evening.
Amid Donald Trump’s “51st state” threats and tariffs, Mexico’s fellow 2026 World Cup hosts will now function curtain raisers again right here on Sunday when a brand new identify goes on the trophy for the primary time after the US received every of its first three editions.
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An immediate opener and set-piece dagger did for the Canadians, who’d arrived laser-focused on profitable all of it however who misplaced focus and mood. A weird VAR determination denying a penalty rubbed additional salt into the wound. Right here in a metropolis that focuses on delays, therapeutic must occur shortly.
The Canadian crew bus had snaked its method by means of South LA’s Thursday rush hour visitors and was pulling into the decrease reaches of SoFi Stadium simply as Cecilio Waterman arrowed a shocking injury-time winner previous Matt Turner to show this whole week on its head.
There was a joke to be discovered a couple of Panamanian referred to as Waterman doing it for the canal. You’d hope somebody within the financial institution of Canadian followers Concacaf had seated proper subsequent door to the US supporters group had discovered it. Both method, Panama being the crew ready for a Sunday evening dance associate was absolutely not what the bulk had been anticipating.
Expectations might be fragile issues, in fact. Marsch has spent his 10 months on the helm first confounding them then passionately demanding they’re raised time and again, with final summer time’s Copa America odyssey giving him immediate proof to level to. The squad he gathered right here in LA, a bunch he described as essentially the most proficient within the nation’s historical past, had purchased in, all echoing their coach’s insistence that they have been right here for {hardware}. They’ll depart with out it, however a showdown with the Individuals gives greater than mere comfort.
Javier Aguirre has solved a few of Mexico’s urgent points since returning for a 3rd stint after final summer time’s dispiriting Copa América. A sturdy however unspectacular 0-0 draw with Canada final September had been one brick within the rebuild. Right here as a substitute of deciding between two in-form frontmen in Jiménez and Santiago Giménez, he went for each, the latter coming in off the left.
Inside simply 45 seconds it paid off. Two units of gamers had lined up however only one appeared to listen to referee Saíd Martínez’s whistle. Johan Vasquez plucked a ball out of the air and despatched it bobbling in the direction of Jiménez who flicked it into his almost-namesake’s path. From there it bobbled once more, Alphonso Davies deflected it on to Moïse Bombito and into Jiménez’s path. The Fulham striker made no mistake.
They’d solely be considerably profitable in doing in order the primary half turned a breakneck, chaotic megamix of Concacaf classics. 5 yellow playing cards flashed, Martínez threatened to lose management, after which an inexplicable VAR penalty determination.
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How Canada weren’t awarded a spot kick on 9 minutes was a thriller. Captain Edson Álvarez swung a boot at a ball which Derek Cornelius bought to first. SoFi’s large infinity screens signalled that VAR was checking simply as Martinez signalled a restart. On the sideline, Marsch seemed in useless for solutions.
Whereas his gamers did discover their toes, they by no means discovered management. Within the area of quarter-hour halfway by means of the half, Bombito, Alistair Johnston and Davies have been all booked, with goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair producing an important save from Giménez amid all of it.
Marsch is crystal clear in his calls for for his crew to be relentlessly aggressive however when the circumstances and an erratic official require a firming down, can it’s performed? Within the thirty fifth minute, Johnston tried to hoof a free-kick off the close by Alexis Vega to get him booked. He missed and as a substitute gifted possession again to Mexico, a second that summed up lots.
Reduction got here, mockingly, from VAR, when Álvarez’s close-range header was dominated out 5 minutes earlier than the break. A few Davies free-kicks have been the closest Canada got here to a leveller.
Marsch had sprinted to the dressing rooms early on the interval and when his aspect continued to battle for openings, he didn’t wait lengthy to make modifications. Wingers Jacob Shaffelburg and Tajon Buchanan requested to carry width, maybe as a result of within the center Erik Lira was spoiling to terrific impact.
There can be no spoiling the evening’s most alluring second. With quarter-hour left, Jiménez stepped as much as a set-piece that was 30-plus yards out and whipped a merely scrumptious effort that curled inside St. Clair’s close to publish. Mexicans rained costly cerveza down from above on the striker. A small worth to pay. For Canada, tariffs and Trump will come again into the chatter. However the trophy speak is as soon as extra parked.