What to Watch: Canada faces United States for top spot in World Cup qualifier
Canada is coming off a resounding 2-0 victory over Honduras on Thursday, overcoming the absences of Alphonso Davies and Stephen Eustáquio seamlessly. It was Canada’s first win in Honduras since 1985, and now the national team is one step closer to clinching its first World Cup bid since 1986.
Here’s what you need to know about Canada’s match against the United States on Sunday.
Canada vs. United States
Sunday, January 30 at 3:05 PM | Live Stream
In any international competition, Canada-United States will be a heated rivalry but Sunday’s contest has some additional weight. Despite the United States boasting more headliners, including Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Weston McKinnie (Juventus) and Sergiño Dest (Barcelona) Canada enters the matchup in much better form and could genuinely establish itself as CONCACAF’s true power with a win.
Timothy Weah, Pulisic and Jesus Ferreira formed a three-man front against El Salvador but were largely ineffective as the United States walked away with a 1-0 win Thursday on the strength of a 52th minute goal from left back Antonee Robinson. Pulisic, in particular, could swing the balance of the match. He was awful against El Salvador and has struggled to find meaningful minutes at Chelsea this season, but a standout performance against Canada could reinvigorate his confidence. The United States will be forced to revise its formation ahead of Sunday, as Weah wasn’t allowed to cross the border, having only received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and getting infected prior to receiving the second dose.
Robinson and Dest have been in better form for the United States and if Canada is to emerge with a victory, Junior Hoilett and Tajon Buchanan (who was excellent Thursday) will have to win those individual matchups. Buchanan is a veritable nightmare down the wing, with his stepover tutorial leading to the game’s first goal against Honduras after whipping in a cross that led to an own goal.
Canada doesn’t need to win the possession battle. Against Honduras, they were firmly out possessed and never ceded control of the game. Certainly, the United States pose a greater threat but with Hoilett, Buchanan, Cyle Larin and Jonathan David – who notched a wondergoal to secure the win against Honduras — at John Herdman’s disposal, Canada can win this game with a vicious, precise counterattack.
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