Canada's Tactics and Takeaways as Depth, Emotion Dominates in Concacaf Nations League Win | OneFootball

Jesse Marsch might not have seen the goal live, but his impact was palpable for the Canadian men’s national team in a 2-1 win over the United States in the Concacaf Nations League third-place match.

Sent off in the 54th minute after overreacting to a referee’s decision, Marsch ran through the bowels of SoFi Stadium to get to a place to watch. Five minutes later, Jonathan David curled in the 2-1 goal, giving Canada a lead they wouldn’t surrender.

The Concacaf Nations League third-place match wasn't the stage they wanted, and they won’t be leaving Los Angeles with a trophy, but Sunday was significant. It was a victory over their rivals and a crucial, savvy win in the final full-strength competitive match ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026, showcasing their squad’s depth.

"Jesse was sticking up for his team, and it galvanized the boys," said assistant coach Mauro Biello, who stepped in for the suspended Marsch at the post-match press conference. "They saw the trust and how much it means to him and we were able to come back and get that second goal."

Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch was infuriated with officiating decisions, leading to his red card against the USMNT / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Since Marsch took over the Canadian team in May 2024, his ideals have driven the group emotionally and tactically. Ahead of the clash with the USMNT, he showed the team clips of the Canadian hockey team’s three fights in nine seconds against the USA at the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off, wanting to inspire his team for the third-place clash.

“Hit them first,” striker Tani Oluwaseyi said Marsch told the group before scoring the opening goal for his first in a Canadian shirt.

While there weren’t fisticuffs, the emotional play worked, as did the jolt of energy the squad got from his sending-off.

Alistair Johnston went “elbows up”––Canada’s latest rallying cry against recent American discourse––on USMNT striker Patrick Agyemang early, and the Canadians dominated the pace of play as the Americans toiled on in desperation through the remainder of the match.

“The mentality of this team is strong, and today was another big test for us against a very good American team, and it showed that we're ready to compete against anybody in this region,” Biello added.

“We can go out there and use our speed, our power and our quality to be able to take over games... Even after we scored the second goal, we were still pressing; we're still pushing, and in the end, we were able to control the game.”

Canada find depth through identity, something USA lacks

Tani Oluwaseyi and Niko Sigur were among the depth options which stood out for Canada against the USMNT / Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images

Rivalry often presents heated challenges, and Sunday’s matchup showed just how much work head coach Mauricio Pochettino must do with his USMNT to reach Canada’s level, let alone compete with the best sides in the world at next summer’s World Cup.

Even turning to depth pieces, Canada dominated.

Regular starting midfielder Stephen Eustáquio wasn’t included in the lineup, nor was Cyle Larin, David's usual strike partner. Instead, Mathieu Choiniere took up the midfield pivot alongside Ismaël Koné, and Oluwaseyi slid in alongside David.

Things didn’t get any easier either when Alphonso Davies had to leave the match in the 12th minute, forcing 21-year-old Niko Sigur to be subbed in at right back and shifting Johnston to left back, a position he’d never played in his career.

It wasn’t quite the full rotation Marsch used in a penalty shootout loss to Uruguay in the Copa América third-place match, but it was close—and Canada still looked the better side.

“This team isn't a really strong starting 11; this team is building depth, building a really strong squad, and that's what you need to have because injuries happen, and adjustments can be made,” Johnston said. “If you want to be a football nation, you need to have multiple deep guys at every position, and I think we're seeing that now.”

Each of the rotated players contributed, as Canada won back-to-back games against the United States since 1985 and defeated the U.S. in a competitive match on American soil for the first time since 1957.

It is also just the fifth time in 15 games under Marsch that Canada has scored 2+ goals.

A third-place finish wasn’t what the group came for. Still, showing their depth and beating the United States is a silver lining and another piece of the puzzle as Marsch and his roster continue to put together the vision for June 12, 2026, the day they open the World Cup.

“That [win] means a lot, I think to the people back home. It means a lot to me," Johnston added. “I'm really proud of the team. I'm proud of every single guy that went out there and stepped up."

Canada’s goals finally came: Jonathan David’s adjustment

Jonathan David was allowed to play higher up and it paid off for the CanMNT as he scored his 32nd goal for country. / Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images

Marsch couldn’t see the goal from the touchline, but his adjustments worked. Oluwaseyi’s start not only earned him a goal but also allowed David to press higher, putting him in a better position to score his 32nd goal for Les Rouges.

It was movement in the final third from the two central forwards that powered the Canadian attack. While both Oluwaseyi and David have sometimes led the line at club level, each overlapped off-ball runs on Sunday, allowing Ali Ahmed and Tajon Buchanan to attack the wings.

With the dynamic wingers and one striker hanging slightly higher than the other, Canada was able to find spaces behind the American backline while not relying solely on David to build up as a False Nine or speed-focused wide play.

“[Marsch] felt I was too low [against Mexico] and he asked me this game to be a bit higher,” David told CBS. “I'm an intelligent player. I love to get touches, and I have to be involved in the game, so it's either I stay up, and you bring on a midfielder with me and leave more space for my teammates as I try and find the spaces in behind, or I come short, to try and get touches and impact the game.”

On both goals, David slid into a little space and placed himself in the passing lane between two American defenders, a key factor on the second goal where the in-form striker received a through ball from Ahmed before curling past Matt Turner.

David had 38 touches in both Nations League matches but was more involved against the USMNT, with 11 touches in the opponent’s box, while being credited with three chance creations in addition to his goal.

As much as Larin and David have achieved up top with the national team, Sunday showed just how strong David can be when put in the right areas. Larin still will play a role moving forward, but Canada needed goals, and the adjusted play for David allowed that––he’s one of the most potent forwards in world soccer and someone you want banging in the goals for his national team.

Sigur’s First Full Showing Proves Versatility

Niko Sigur and Tim Weah battled throughout the match, with the young Canadian showing his qualities / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

One of the younger players on a fairly established Canadian squad, there had not been many minutes for Hajduk Split’s Sigur heading into the Nations League Finals. Yet, the former Croatian youth international showcased his versatility against the USMNT.

While he often plays more of a defensive midfield role, he slotted in for the injured Davies at right back and did not look out of place. He kept a stingy and established defence alongside Derek Cornelius, Moïse Bombito and Johnston, who was playing on his off-side.

Niko Sigur's heat map shows his ability to get forward and engage the attack while staying focused defensively in the battle against Weah / Courtesy of SofaScore/OPTA

Sigur quickly became a key transition piece for the CanMNT, overlapping with Buchanan on the wing and drifting inside to support the midfield pivot of Choiniere and Koné, helping Canada quickly engage their attacking players, as seen in the clip below.

Through his 78 minutes, he completed eight passes into the final third and three successful long balls, all while winning battles against Timothy Weah down the wing.

“It was a tough situation for him to come in like that," Biello said of him. "To be matched up against Timothy Weah is not easy for a young player, but he did well...Niko's been doing well in all the camps that he's been with us; we were just waiting for that moment to give him this opportunity, and today that moment arrived, and I think he took it well."

With the adjustments in mind, Canadians will now head back to their clubs across Europe and MLS before many reconvene in June for friendlies against Ukraine and the Ivory Coast, ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup, the final tournament before next year’s World Cup and another chance to end the nation’s 25-year trophy drought.