Derek Cornelius had scored free kicks before, but this was different.
Despite Canada's past struggles with set pieces, the former Vancouver Whitecaps center back stepped up and blasted a free kick from long range to secure a 1-0 win over Wales on Tuesday in Swansea.
“I was working on it in training this week,” Cornelius said after scoring his first goal for the country. “I felt confident and was in a good space, and I got good contact and it went in.”
Unheralded territory
The goal saw Canada wrap up the September international window with two wins and two clean sheets, after previously beating Romania, 3-0, in Bucharest. It also marked the first time Canada had beaten three UEFA opponents in a row, having defeated Ukraine 4-2, in a home friendly in June.
“These 10 days and how we've used them and maximized them, it was probably the best 10 days we've had together,” head coach Jesse Marsch told reporters. “I love the team, and I really love working with them. They're so committed to everything we're doing, and one of the things that becomes more palpable is the confidence and belief they have in each other.
“I think we feel like we're trending in a really good direction, and we're preparing more and more for what we hope to be a big World Cup for us next summer.”
Aggressiveness and swagger
Cornelius’ strike will define the game, but Canada’s poise and skillfulness in the match also stood out, a difficult factor to showcase in the physical Concacaf tests the team is so familiar with.
From Luc De Fougerolles nearly scoring off a backheel flick from a corner to Jonathan David’s no-look passes, Canada played effortlessly.
At the same time, the former CF Montréal duo of Ismaël Koné and Nathan Saliba were aggressive in midfield, pushing forward before helping to close out the slim lead.
“I thought Saliba was very good,” Marsch said. “He was very disciplined and very solid on the ball, he was combative, and won a lot of duels, up and down the pitch, covering every inch of grass.
“We’ve been challenging the group to understand moments, to have a little bit more savviness, to have more communication and leadership, and continue to grow in our overall experience of how to manage games... I think it was massive progress.”
Competition across the squad
Staying true to his words after last week's win over Romania, Marsch did not rotate heavily on Tuesday. Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair started as planned, and Saliba came in for the injured Stephen Eustáquio.
It’s all part of a methodical build through the next nine months, as Marsch continues to encourage competition through performance, even with key absences of Alphonso Davies, Alistair Johnston and Moïse Bombito.
“We tried to have some stability in the starting lineup, and we were able to achieve that. I think we got good performances from the start, and I've been really challenging the guys off the bench to be ready to deliver,” Marsch said, adding he sees all three fall windows as a single window.
“The responsibility that each player understands that he has to carry for himself and for the team is at an extremely high level, and it's helped us increase and better our performances.”
While the battle between St. Clair and Portland Timbers' Maxime Crépeau hasn’t gotten easier with both posting clean sheets, questions are also pressing at center back and midfield.
“I would say across the board, we now have almost a two-person competition at nearly every position on the team, and that’s a great problem to have,” added Marsch. “As we get closer to the World Cup, defining what our first group is, what the whole squad looks like, will be a big challenge for me.”
Home tests loom
Despite Canada’s success, there have been few opportunities to play in front of home crowds. In Marsch’s 23 games in charge, only four have been at home.
That will change in October and November. During that span, Canada will host three teams in the top 25 in FIFA's rankings, beginning with Australia and Colombia during the October window, before they welcome Ecuador to Toronto FC’s BMO Field in November.
“Our team understands adversity and isn't afraid to play in hostile environments,” Marsch said when asked about the two away wins.
“I think that will give us a hardened edge once we get back home and actually have the energy of the home crowd.”
