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Photo Credit: John Jacques
Cruising Their Way Into The Semi-Finals: Canada vs Suriname Leg 2 Analysis
By It wasn’t the most convincing of victories for the Men’s National team in the first leg against Suriname last Friday, as they only claimed a narrow 1-0 lead. Coming back home to Toronto on Tuesday, hopes were high that Canada would finish the job and avoid the same shock disappointments that haunted them at this stage last year. Thankfully, there would be no repeat results as Canada convincingly put the tie to bed by winning 3-0 in front of their home fans.
Dynamic Start Thanks to Dynamic Duos
Part of the reason Canada struggled against Suriname in the first leg was down to their inability to truly set a rhythm. There were some nice periods, but Suriname did well to be very physical and breakdown Canada’s attacks to keep them at arms reach. This time around, however, Canada were not messing around.
The opening 30 minutes from Canada were completely dominant in what was effectively one-way traffic. The fluid play from Canada made it almost impossible for Suriname to try to facilitate the same tactics that worked so well last week, forcing them to chase and move rather than tackle and counter. Of course, the home field advantage and perhaps even the weather were factors for how the first half went, but a massive part was down to two duos on the pitch. Richie Laryea and Jacob Shaffelburg were relentless down their left side, constantly attacking their markers, breaking the lines with darting runs and overall bossing their flank. Shaffelburg got two goals for his troubles, including an audacious opener in which he essentially walked the ball in after juking Suriname ‘keeper Etienne Vaessen, whilst Laryea did what he did best in winning fouls in dangerous areas and giving his team some good opportunities off set-pieces.
The other duo that made a huge impact was the central pivot of Stephen Eustaquio and Mathieu Choiniere. The Grasshopper man came into this lineup in place of Ismael Kone – who is still coming back to full fitness from a niggling injury – and made sure to make a case for his starting role in the team. Both Choiniere and Eustaquio kept the pressure on Suriname with their smart passes, good pressure and clever positioning. That solidity in the midfield allowed Canada to keep the ball in Suriname’s half and terrorize their back-line in the opening half-hour, granting them the chances to put the game 2-0 up.
Jonathan ‘Iceman’ David Reborn Under Jesse Marsch
Jesse Marsch has brought a lot of players to new heights in his short tenure as the Canada Men’s National Team coach. Moise Bombito, Derek Cornelius, and Ali Ahmed are just a few that have grown significantly, but few have been able to hit the heights as Jonathan David has in 2024.
The Lille frontman has been emphatic for Canada this year, scoring five goals and registering three assists for Les Rouges. He is now the all-time top scorer, usurping fellow friend (and podcast mate!) Cyle Larin with 31 goals in red and white, doing so in style. The lead-up to his goal on Tuesday might have been chaotic, but his cool and composed finish reflects how apt his nickname really is. It caps a stunning year that started off with many questioning the forward after struggling to impress after the World Cup in 2022, but ends off with him being one of the most in-form forwards in Europe for club and in Concacaf for country (as one does not simply score a game-winner against Real Madrid in the Champions League). His game has been elevated to become a creative force as well as a scoring one, being just as good at setting up his teammates for goals as he is with putting them away.
In the pre-match presser before this game, Jesse Marsch called David “the smartest player” he’s ever coached, and it’s not hard to see why. His movement in and around the box is subtle, but it’s lethal when you begin to understand how he manipulates and creates space for himself and the players around him. His almost sixth sense play with Larin allows them to pull-off some incredible one touch plays, but he also is able to calm things down and set the tempo, even from the striker position. Much is being said about where his future may lie in terms of his club career, with him now in his ‘contract year’. But wherever he may go, as long as he is able to replicate the form he’s had for Canada this year, he’ll be sure to succeed.
Capping Off 2024 In Style
It’s safe to say that 2024 has been a good year for the Canadian Men’s National Team.
After falling to a shock defeat that put their Copa America hopes in jeopardy at the end of 2023, things looked shaky for the team – especially with no permanent head coach yet in place. But some big shakeups in the federation brought new hopes for Canada, as Kevin Blue and Jesse Marsch came in with much optimism from the fans. Blue brought the transparency and structure that many people had been crying for for years – both fans and players alike – while Marsch brought the identity and confidence that similarily had been lacking since the previous World Cup.
Fast forward to the end of 2024, and those hopes have become standards and even become expectations as Canada passed every test with flying colours. A fourth-place finish in Copa America cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with, beating Venezuela in the Quarter-Final and going toe-to-toe with some of the South American heavyweights in Argentina and Uruguay. Afterwards, Canada went on a five-game unbeaten run, including a win over dreaded rivals United States and the punchy Panamanians, finishing off with this Concacaf Nations League Quarter-Final double over Suriname to really put a bow on a year that not many could have predicted.
With the 2026 World Cup now just over 18 months away, Canada have been able to go from outside hopefuls at their own tournament to serious dark horses in less than a year. Now, for 2025, the goal should be to not let the momentum drop. The Nations League Finals and the Gold Cup are on the horizon, and Canada should not only view them as good chances to test themselves, but to consider themselves favourites for both crowns. Marsch will certainly hold that standard, so hopefully the players can follow through and earn some gold around their necks to show off as they step onto the field for their first World Cup match at home in 2026.
Header Image Photo Credit: John Jacques
