Canada rewrites history at Copa America, but real work has only just begun – Sportsnet.ca

For years, there’s been a lack of expectation surrounding the Canadian men’s national team. Typically, Les Rouges have been brushed aside, disrespected even. But on a dark and stormy Saturday night in Orlando, Canada changed its narrative and stamped its place in the future of international soccer.

For the first time in program history, Canada advanced to the knockouts at Copa América with a 0-0 draw against Chile, an unbelievable feat for the debutant who was doubted every step of the way. But for Jesse Marsch’s team, it’s not just about the goals scored and points recorded. It’s about making a statement. It’s about creating a legacy.

The opening 45 was prime, fast-paced theatre. The ball seemed to go from one end to the other with lightning speed, with both Canada and Chile looking confident and quick on the counter. As if running on superhuman energy, Marsch’s side came out aggressive, undeterred by a stadium filled with Chilean pride.

Fouls and yellow cards were thrown out left, right and centre, the referee kept the game on knife’s edge, and players bounced around the pitch like pinballs. Like carbon copies of each other, both teams had chances to score but got the final passes and shots all wrong. The play was scrappy and erratic. But boy, the mouth-watering action, on the verge of boiling over, kept fans on the edge of their seats.

Canada’s odds grew as the night progressed. Before the match, it was announced that Chilean legend 41-year-old goalkeeper Claudio Bravo would be unavailable due to physical discomfort. La Roja manager Ricardo Gareca was relegated to the sidelines after returning late from halftime last time out, leaving the South Americans without its trusty head coach.

In the 27th minute, Chile defender Gabriel Suazo received a second yellow card for fouling Richie Laryea on the break, dwindling his squad to 10 men. Shortly after the half, Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez netted his third of the tournament over Peru, further solidifying that Canada would only need a draw to progress. But still, the Chilean squad held on and pushed Canada to its absolute limit, and to Marsch’s delight, his team held on by its fingertips.

However, amidst the excitement of the historic result, Marsch must go back to the drawing board and analyze Saturday’s match ahead of the quarterfinals. The work has only just begun.

For most of Saturday’s game, Canada lacked the deliberate pace it showed against Peru in Matchday 2. Play seemed less calculated and systematic, even teetering on desperate. Once again, creating goal-scoring opportunities was an issue, as Les Rouges only recorded three shots on target. Canada’s best chance of the night came in second-half added time courtesy of a brilliant counter-attack; Buchanan floated the ball to Oluwaseyi, whose one-time finish sailed past the Chilean keeper before VAR ruled it offside. 

Yes, Canada’s group stage performances were enough to make the knockouts, but it won’t be enough to make a splash in the next round. In the quarters, draws don’t fly. Someone has to win. And to win, you have to score goals.

Shockingly, Canada only netted one goal the entire group stage, courtesy of Jonathan David’s clean finish against Peru. Marsch’s side had a handful of chances to get on the scoreboard against Chile, but sloppy passing and finishing were to blame for a 0-0 result.

“We have to go into the video room and figure out how we can improve. Game by game we’ve been playing well, but overall we have to score goals,” Canada captain Alphonso Davies said after the draw. “If we want to advance in this tournament, we have to put the ball in the back of the net.”

Additionally, bringing Jonathan Osorio into the starting lineup to help with pacing and ball retention was smart individually, but didn’t show as a collective. The Toronto FC star’s experience and leadership certainly strengthened Canada’s on-field presence, but one player doesn’t always change games.

Les Rouges only held 57 per cent possession, which might seem great on paper. But if you only have the ball just over half the game, the odds of scoring are much lower. Focusing on ball retention and decreasing turnovers, especially in the central area, is yet again something to work on for the Great White North.

While it’s certainly a time to be critical, it’s also important to commend Canada’s heart. To overcome a tough Chilean squad that’s historically done well at Copa América is something to celebrate. The stands were predominantly filled with La Roja supporters backing their country, and Canada isn’t used to performing in high-pressure situations like most of its opponents are. For a nation known for hockey, perhaps a sliver of space is opening up for people to view Canadian soccer in a different light.

Looking at Canada’s group stage performances as a whole, what becomes clear is this squad has grown and matured in a short amount of time under Marsch. Canada should feel proud about its ability to grind out results amidst a time of development while adapting to tougher and higher-ranked opposition. Sure, there were times on Saturday when Marsch’s players were physically challenged. But the manager made smart substitutions that proved too much for Chile’s overwhelmed defenders, even if they didn’t produce a goal.

On Friday, Canada will play the winner of Group B in the quarterfinals, likely Venezuela, but there’s a chance it could be Ecuador. It’s doubtful Canada will blow its opponent out of the water, so it must dig in and find ways to make it happen—similar to its final two group games. 

Brick by brick, Canada is building something special, especially ahead of co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Standing tall and advancing to the Copa América knockouts, proving the doubters and pundits wrong, is the first step in what feels to be a massive turning point in Canadian soccer.