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Photo Credit: Canada Soccer
Analysis: Canada Crash Out Versus Mexico
By It was a frustrating evening for Canada in California, as they lost 2-0 to Mexico after falling behind inside 46 seconds of the match.
After some controversial calls and one rocket of a free-kick, it’s Mexico that will face Panama on Sunday in the Nations League Final, making it a truly missed opportunity for Les Rouges to get their hands on some silverware for the first time in 25 years.
Emotions Get The Better Of Jesse Marsch’s Men
In a stadium like SoFi Stadium, the atmosphere was always going to be electric – especially with it being so close to the Mexican border. Droves of Mexican fans filled the stadium and gave the match that tension and excitement that both players and fans love. For any team, however, that kind of energy needs to be harnessed carefully, and it just felt like Canada were unable to do that on Thursday.
It didn’t help that Raul Jimenez got the crowd going after just 46 seconds. A rushed throw-in led to a scramble at the back, for which Jimenez capitalized on some good luck to put El Tri ahead inside just one minute. Almost instantly, Canada had their back against the walls. To their credit, they responded well. They continued their now-trademark intensity in their pressing and forced Mexico to resort to counter-attacks and long balls. However, an incredulous missed penalty kick call from Costa Rican Hector Martinez quickly lit the powderkeg of Canada, as their frustration began to lead to silly fouls, cheap cards and a loss of focus.
It does not bode well when three out of your four defenders get on yellows. Yet, Canada had that happen inside less than 30 minutes. Alistair Johnston, who is not one to shy away from a full-blooded tackle, might have counted himself lucky to have stayed on the pitch, with the Celtic man playing right into Mexico’s hands with his overzealous challenges.
That loss of control immediately gave Mexico the edge, even if Canada were the better side on the ball. It showed that, as much as that passion can be good for Canada – and is part of what allows the team to play to Jesse Marsch’s high-octane Energy Drink philosophy – it is also something that needs to be balanced. The game becomes a hard lesson that both coach and players will need to learn from, as there will be many clever and crafty teams in the World Cup next summer, and Canada need to find ways to beat them both technically and mentally.
Set-Piece Woes Yet Another Lasting Puzzle Yet To Be Solved
Raul Jimenez’s rocket free-kick was a sight to behold in the 75th minute. The dagger that virtually ended the contest, it showed the quality that Mexico had on offer, even if they weren’t playing the best. It also showed the quality required to capitalize on a chance like that from a set-piece – something Canada have struggled with for years.
From before Alphonso Davies’ penalty miss versus Belgium in the 2022 World Cup until now, Canada have struggled to make good on set-pieces. In a modern age where set-pieces are becoming more and more important for creating goal-scoring opportunites (just look at Arsenal at the end of 2024), Canada still seem to be lacking in that department. Ali Ahmed and Davies himself were on set-piece taker duties, but both struggled to put good service into the box. Canada had seven corners throughout the game, five more than Mexico, but it wasn’t until added time of the second half where Les Rouges managed to create a half chance, as Moise Bombito’s header at the near post went high of the crossbar. And that’s not including the amount of free-kicks they had in Mexico’s third as well.
Had Canada been able to be more threatening off set-pieces – for all the height and athleticism they have in the team – it could have been a different game. Especially when you consider just how hard it is to break down a team like Mexico in open-play. Set-pieces should be an ace up the sleeve of Jesse Marsch, but he is still looking on how best to exectute that ahead of his biggest test next summer.
Still Figuring Out The Best For Canada
When Marsch announced his roster for Nations League, he called it ‘the strongest Canadian side ever‘. But on Thursday, they had one of the weakest performances of his reign, and it cracked open the old box of old but important questions about the squad. Like the age-old “what do you do about Alphonso Davies?”.
There is no doubt that Davies is one of the best full-backs in the world. His exploits with Bayern Munich in both the Bundesliga and Champions League this season back him up. But when it comes to playing for country, there are still questions marks about how to get the best out of him. Marsch’s predecessor, John Herdman, tried to put Davies in a more creative role at times, putting him at the 10 even though he was playing at left-back for club. The thought was to get the most out of Canada’s most talented player by playing him in the most creative position, but Davies relies on having plenty of green grass ahead of him to blow past defenders with frightening pace and quick feet. Yet, even when he does play left-back for Canada, it still feels like he is expected to become that spark in the attack. Many times he drifts inside and tries to do too much with the ball at his feet. At Bayern, his role is clear and his execution is solid. For his country, it still feels like he’s a ball of raw power that struggles to maintain control and composure.
Then, there is the question of the strikers. For years, Canada have relied on the pairing of Cyle Larin and Jonathan David up top. Both are neck-and-neck for the leading goalscorer title for Les Rouges, and have come up with some massive goals for the team. But in recent years, it hasn’t felt like the pair have clicked. Larin has yet to score in 2025 for Mallorca, while David is on track to have yet another career year for Lille. One is full of confidence, while the other is yearning for it. Despite the pair having a close relationship (they even have their own podcast!), the chemistry they should have does not translate to the pitch. As the two main goalscorers, if they can’t work well together, then the Canadian attack whimpers to a stall. The team then needs to rely on moments of brilliance from other players to get them through, and that just won’t do at the highest level.
Lastly, there is the head-scratcher of choosing Jonathan Osorio to start in 2025. Like Larin and David, Osorio has been a critical part of Canada’s rise to the top of Concacaf. He was there at the start when Canada were struggling against the likes of Honduras and Costa Rica, and he was there when the team qualified to the World Cup in 2022. But in 2025, it looks like his best years are behind him. His club form does him no favours, with Toronto FC rooted to the bottom places of MLS. There are plenty of young and exciting players that are coming up in the system that can – and arguably should – take his place. Osorio starting this match ahead of the likes of Jacob Shaffelburg, Tajon Buchanan, and even Mathieu Choiniere just doesn’t scream like progress. It reads like a team clinging onto a loyal-yet-declining servant that is just on the wrong side of time.
These are just a few of the many questions surrounding the team, but the good news is that Jesse Marsch still has some time to figure these questions out before 2026. He even has a new friendly tournament in June to test some new things out. One thing is for sure, however, and that is that he needs to find answers to these if he wants to match his ambitions of taking Canada to the next level of international football.
Header Image Photo Credit: Canada Soccer
