TORONTO – It was far from perfect, but learning through winning is a critical step for Canada’s men’s national team.
With a first-choice starting lineup and lesser-experienced players throughout, Jesse Marsch’s side secured a 2-1 win over Panama in their first home match in over 11 months.
Panama are never an easy opponent, and Los Canaleros were especially chippy on Tuesday night. The quality of Toronto FC’s BMO Field wasn’t doing the hosts any favors either, but these are the games Les Rouges should be winning and they’ve reached that level while experimenting with new faces and tactics.
“It would have been easy for us to make excuses saying, 'The pitch isn't the best' and all the rest, but our mentality was strong," Marsch said postgame. "We actually got better after we conceded, and I thought actually that was our best stretch of the game. It was nice to see that when the game wasn't so easy, we rose to the challenge.”
Historic goals
For the first time since March, former Orlando City striker Cyle Larin scored for his country, while Jonathan David netted the late winning goal, bringing both to 30 goals, a tied lead for Canadian men’s soccer.
“Those guys love each other, man. They have such a cool relationship. They really support each other,” Marsch said of the strikeforce, having both scored in the same match for the first time in his tenure. “We’ve been joking that it’s going to really cost Canada Soccer a lot of money to keep rewarding these guys for being the greatest scorers in Canadian [men’s] history.”
That star power and overall quality have been the impetus for Canada’s improvement in recent years, and to a further extent under Marsch. However, the ability to find solutions in tough Concacaf games still stands out.
“Panama is a good team, and they fight, they put in a couple of elbows and whatnot, but this is typical, and we know that,” said left winger Liam Millar, who assisted in David’s winning strike.
“It was always gonna be a tough game. It was never gonna be easy. I think we showed good character to get a goal and to be able to win that game.”
Bombito, Ahmed stand out
While the strikers stole the spotlight, Vancouver Whitecaps winger Ali Ahmed and former Colorado Rapids defender Moïse Bombito continued to prove as key pieces.
In his first home match since transferring from Colorado to French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice over the summer, Bombito held Canada in the match, making six recoveries. He often relied on his elite speed, which continues to rank him among the fastest MLS players in 2024.
“I just had to stick to the game plan, and even when we are defending in a high line, I know that I have a good attribute physically to track back and deal with strikers. And that's my job as the center back,” the 24-year-old said. “Unfortunately we allowed one, but one was enough for us to get to win.”
Bombito’s rise is just one of the many sides of Canada. Marsch has continued to emphasize growing the player pool and giving youngsters opportunities. On Tuesday, he gave home debuts to CF Montréal’s Nathan Saliba and Kwasi Poku, while Ahmed took on more responsibility in a starting role.
“Ali is not the most physically imposing guy, but he's relentless, and he doesn’t stop. There’s not a moment of pause, and he just keeps going,” Marsch said. “When I watch him play, I think about what it would be like to play against him, knowing he would drive me crazy, and that’s his beauty and how he's developed in the team.
"He's become more physical. His reactions are outstanding. He's also a very intelligent player, and now it's just continuing to build in the confidence and ability to make final plays... But he understands exactly tactically what we need from him.”
Big picture
Panama might not be the flashiest matchup, but winning challenging games is critical for Canada. This is especially true as Les Rouges eye November's Nations League quarterfinals, with the FIFA 2026 World Cup they'll co-host with the United States and Mexico less than two years away.
“Everyone is excited for the World Cup to come and everything we're doing is preparing us for that, and the Nations League, but also the years to come,” captain Alphonso Davies said.
“With the quality of players we have, I think we can develop that a little bit more. As you can see today, it's not easy playing on this pitch, but we’re happy that it worked and we can get the win."
