There were 73 days until Canada MNT plays their first game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Canadians learned that their first opponent for the World Cup is Bosnia and Herzegovina. They beat Italy to qualify for the World Cup in a dramatic penalty shootout. So there won’t be a flock of Italians from Woodbridge at BMO Field in June. Italy has missed their third straight World Cup.
But the Canada MNT had a task to focus on in Toronto on Tuesday night. 47th-ranked Tunisia was the last of two March friendlies for Canada. After a poor first half and coming back from a 2-0 deficit against Iceland for a 2-2 draw, the Canada MNT had some improvements to make. Tunisia are in the World Cup in Group F with the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden.
The Canadians were facing Tunisia at BMO Field, the same venue where they will open their World Cup campaign against Bosnia. However, in June, BMO Field will be renamed “Toronto Stadium” due to FIFA’s sponsorship policies.
It is spring, but Toronto’s weather was well….Toronto weather. The match was delayed until about 9:05 EST due to lightning in the area and heavy rain.
First half: Canada MNT Were Pressing, But Can’t Score.
Canada MNT were poised for a better start.
Hull City’s Liam Millar got the start thanks to Tajon Buchanan being suspended for his red card against Iceland. Millar tried to replicate Buchanan’s impact early on as he was speeding down the wing.
The press was active. Ralph Priso impressed early with two big tackles on the Tunisian counterattack. Ismael Kone and Nathan Saliba, who struggled against Iceland, dictated play well early in midfield. Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi had opportunities but couldn’t convert.
Priso was doing so well in his first Canada MNT start. But after 25 minutes, it looked like he hurt his hamstring and had to be taken off for Kamal Miller. It was a shame for Canada MNT fans and Vancouver Whitecaps fans. The Toronto native was very distraught coming off the bench.
Canada continued to push for a goal, but Tunisian goalkeeper Abdelmouhib Chamakh wasn’t making any difficult saves. The Joel Waterman-Miller pairing almost had another disaster, but Millar came back and made an incredible block. Maybe Waterman and Miller owe Millar some beers after that.
Tunisia were a tough team to break down. Canada MNT’s press and passing were on point, but there weren’t any high-danger chances.
Second half: More Of The Same…
Canada started the second half the same way as the first. But the crosses and passes still weren’t on point.
Waterman and Miller were doing fine at the back. Well, that was mainly because the press was very active for Canada. The Canadians spent a lot of time in Tunisia’s half.
There still wasn’t much happening in the final third. Crosses and final passes weren’t connecting, and when shots came, they were easy saves or missed the net.
Not even substitutes such as Daniel Jebbison, Jacen Russell-Rowe and Ali Ahmed could spark anything in the final third.
Tunisia’s low block was formidable. Low blocks are tough to break down for any team. However, good teams know how to break them down.
The March window showed how timid the Canada MNT’s attack was.
It was better for Canada in this game compared to the Iceland one. But the attack is still a big issue heading into the World Cup. It wasn’t a bad game for Canada, but not a great one either.
Stat of the match
According to FotMob, Tunisia had one big chance in the game (which was the one Millar blocked in the first half) and Canada MNT had…none. That is not good enough and concerning.
Tweet of the match
Flores really impressed in this game. He was shifty and creative. However, he did not register a single shot, and his crosses could not reach David or Oluwaseyi.
Wrap-up
At least Canada didn’t lose these two games with several key starters such as Alphonso Davies, Moise Bombito, Alistair Johnston, and Stephen Eustaquio out. The Canadians have also lost just one out of their last seven matches.
But in those games, there has been just one open play goal. It can be argued that not having a fully fit squad does play a factor in that, but injuries cannot be excused.
Heading into the World Cup, Jesse Marsch and his squad are going to need to find answers on how to score goals. Bosnia and Switzerland, in particular, are known for being defensively sound, and Qatar cannot be underestimated. Canada MNT could face an early World Cup exit on home soil if they can’t figure out how to put the ball in the net.
It was good to preserve the clean sheet. Maxime Crépeau didn’t have a whole lot to do and made two saves. Despite losing Priso early to an injury, Waterman and Miller held their own.
Canada MNT needs to refine their attacking fundamentals as they head into the World Cup. With 73 days and counting to go, the concerns have to be addressed.
