The Canadian men’s national team just keeps making history.
The latest celebratory moment from John Herdman’s group came Sunday, a 2-0 win over the US men’s national team in Hamilton to remain unbeaten in World Cup qualifying.
Here’s how Les Rouges got it done, pushing ever closer to their dream of making the Qatar 2022 World Cup as they sit 10 games unbeaten atop the Concacaf Octagonal standings.
It was rocky at times. Canada’s midfield was missing two crucial pieces in Stephen Eustaquio and Atiba Hutchinson. Alphonso Davies will miss the entire winter window due to mild myocarditis. The Canadians were clearly second-best in most categories from possession to shots.
But only one statistic matters: goals.
This is not the first time Canada have played shorthanded and not up to their new standard. The USMNT controlled most of the match but thanks to goalkeeper Milan Borjan and some vital defensive interventions from the backline, it was the hosts who triumphed.
That is what the top teams accomplish. Even on days when they aren’t in sync, they will be clinical in the decisive moment and that is what Canada managed. That is all down to a cultural revolution within the team.
"I have got a leadership group that puts work in,” said Canada coach John Herdman. “They are very clear, what they contribute as leaders to this team. This work goes in. This is not rock up and play football, this is a high-performing group of guys that are high-quality leaders. That is the starting point.
"That is why they don't break. They bend together. The tougher it gets, I think the stronger they become."
The victory keeps Canada atop the table in World Cup qualifying and they become the second team to start the final round under this format on a 10-game unbeaten run. Only Mexico during the 1998 hexagonal phase replicated the feat.
Not only that, Canada have now taken eight out of a possible 12 points from the two traditional giants of the region in Mexico and the US (road ties, home wins). That would have seemed unfathomable when the Octagonal phase began.
"It just goes to show how much of a family that this team is and how much we are willing to fight for each other to reach our objectives,” said midfielder Jonathan Osorio. “This win is, I think, something that down the line, we will never forget."
Canada are defying all the Concacaf stereotypes. No team is supposed to maintain this level of form for 10 straight games. It just further supports the belief that Les Rouges have inspired belief at home and around the world.
Nearly seven years ago, Cyle Larin was Canada’s next great hope. He burst onto the scene in MLS with Orlando City SC, won Rookie of the Year and eventually secured a move to Turkish Super Lig giants Beşiktaş.
A few years of inconsistency and a lack of playing time left Larin on the outside looking in at times with the national team. Too often he was seen losing individual duels, failing to execute the right runs or missing clear-cut chances.
Fast forward to the past 12 months and the 26-year-old has been playing like a man possessed. He has tallied 15 goals in his last 15 caps for Canada and is now the outright leading scorer in men’s national team history, surpassing Dwayne De Rosario for the record with 23 goals.
The latest strike was as coolly executed as they’ve come for Canada, too. With the American defense sleeping on the second ball via a Kamal Miller header, Larin and Jonathan David combined brilliantly to get in behind before the former MLS SuperDraft No. 1 pick finished with aplomb past Matt Turner in the seventh minute.
Considering the absences Canada had to weather, Herdman utilized the partnership of Larin and David for a second consecutive game. The Honduras match on Thursday was the first time both have played together since September in the reverse fixture, and the chemistry has slowly returned.
“They have been lethal,” Herdman said of their connection. “They have started to build that understanding of and predicting where they are going to be. I think you are starting to see that reaction time close where they just know. They know where they are going to be as they get on the half-turn. That has definitely improved and that has been one of the silver linings of missing some key players that would have normally played maximum minutes."
No one would have foreseen Larin being the record-breaker two years ago. The career turnaround he has experienced is nothing short of extraordinary and he's being rewarded handsomely.
Forget Alphonso Davies or Tajon Buchanan. Milan Borjan might be Canada’s top performer during this World Cup qualifying cycle.
Having bailed out Canada late in Thursday’s 2-0 win at Honduras, and making terrific late saves versus Mexico in November, Borjan has salvaged multiple points for his team so far in pursuit of Canada's first World Cup trip since 1986.
His latest heroics came on Sunday late in the first half, as Weston McKennie fired a bullet header off a corner kick. But Borjan somehow got a hand up before halftime to preserve the lead, a stellar stop from the 34-year-old Red Star Belgrade goalkeeper.
"It's [my father's] birthday today,” Borjan said. “It is a perfect present for him."
Even though he only made two saves, Borjan was flawless in every other aspect. He claimed countless crosses with confidence without any poor rebounds and marshaled his defense with the same leadership that he always exudes.
It was surely an emotional afternoon for Borjan as well, having grown up in Hamilton after his family emigrated to Canada. It’s fitting that he produced another moment of magic to guide his team to victory.
