Canada continued its march to Qatar 2022 on Sunday, bundling the 11th-ranked United States out of its way in a 2-0 victory.
With four games remaining in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, the 40th-ranked Canadian men are turning heads while turning aside all comers in the region. Unbeaten Canada is on the verge of booking its ticket to soccer's world showcase for the first time since 1986 -- and only the second time ever.
But with a game in El Salvador looming on Wednesday, coach John Herdman is not looking too far ahead -- yet.
"We've got a long way to go. We're not qualified yet," he said. "The first thing we said when we brought the boys together at the end of the game is, 'it's not done. It starts again -- tomorrow. We've got El Salvador.'
"We're not there yet. We need some more points I won't let these boys off the hook. They'll get a little bit of time to enjoy the moment and then we're back at it. And we've got to keep staying humble. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves."
El Salvador (2-5-3, 11 points) can't be looking forward to the Canadian men's visit. Canada (6-0-4, 22 points) has won five straight, tops the eight-team standings and boasts a 12-0-4 record in three rounds of qualifying.
Also Sunday, No. 63 Panama won 3-2 at home over No. 57 Jamaica, No. 49 Costa Rica played No. 14 Mexico to a 0-0 draw in Mexico City, and No. 70 El Salvador edged No. 76 Honduras 2-0 on the road in San Pedro Sula.
That left Canada with a nine-point cushion over fifth-place Costa Rica (3-3-4, 13 points) with four games remaining.
Come March, the top three teams will book their ticket to Qatar 2022 while the fourth-place side will face an Oceania country to see who joins them in representing North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Costa Rica can finish with no more than 25 points. So the Canadian men, with 22 points and four games remaining, are just a couple of points away of ensuring at the least a fourth-place finish.
The tie in Mexico kept the Americans in second place, ahead of the Mexicans on goal difference, with both teams on 18 points at 5-2-3, while Canada extended its lead atop the standings.
The Canadians went ahead early on a chilly afternoon Sunday at Tim Hortons Field with an opportune goal through Cyle Larin and then stood their ground, bending but not breaking as the Americans -- who had 64 per cent possession -- probed the home defence without success.
It came down to Canada finishing chances and the Americans unable to take theirs. Still it made for a tense finale as the U.S. pressed hard through five minutes of extra time.
Sam Adekugbe added the insurance goal in the 95th minute, on a solo rush after the Americans were caught deep in the Canada end. It was his first goal in 26 international appearances.
Canada took the lead after just seven minutes when a Matt Turner goal kick hung up in the wind. Kamal Miller headed to the ball to Jonathan Osorio, who flicked it to Larin. The Besiktas striker played a give-and-go with Jonathan David and beat Turner with a right-footed shot as defenders struggled to catch him.
It was Larin's record 23rd goal for Canada in his 46th appearance, moving him past Dwayne De Rosario atop the men's scoring list. Canada's Christine Sinclair is the world's all-time leading goal-scorer with 188.
"Goooaall. Congrats Cyle Larin, well done young man and a great way to capture leading scorer," tweeted De Rosario. "Keep it going."
It was also the kind of rapid-fire goal that the Canadian men, always dangerous in transition with their speed and finishing ability, have become known for.
"One thing that separates Canada from most of the other teams in the group is the quality of their strikers and their ability to finish a really small amount of chances," said U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter. "They didn't have many chances in this game but they were able to finish it off.
"And that first one is a great example. It's a play out of nothing that two quality players make and gives them the win."
In addition to the overwhelming edge in possession, the Americans outshot Canada 13-8. But the Canadians held a 4-3 edge in shots on target and made it count.
"It's hard for me to remember a performance away from home this dominant without getting a result," said Berhalter. " The result hurts, the performance doesn't hurt.
"I'm proud of the guys, proud of the way they competed."
The Canadians were coming off a 2-0 win Thursday in Honduras, their first victory there since 1985, while the Americans downed El Salvador 1-0 in Columbus.
Sunday's game sold out within hours with Canada Soccer expecting a crowd of 24,000. But stricter pandemic-related restrictions limited the crowd to 12,000, after the first ticket sale was voided and a smaller second one was held.
Despite such limits, there was plenty of atmosphere. The Canadian bus arrived at the stadium Sunday to cheers, flares and streamers from jubilant fans lining barriers.
Herdman, an English native who grew up attending matches in nearby Newcastle, was blown away by the reception.
"It's everything we dreamed of It's the first time I've really felt like I'm living in a football country," he said. "It was amazing. The flares were going off. It was like Liverpool arriving for a Champions League game."
It was -5 C, feeling like -7, at the 3 p.m. ET kickoff, and got colder as the afternoon wore on. Despite the chill, there was a festive feel with flag-waving fans singing along to "Sweet Caroline" while waiting for teams to take the field. The crowd then delivered a passionate rendition of "O Canada."
Goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who grew up in Hamilton, got the fans out of the seats with a spectacular reflex save in the 43rd minute, using his right hand to claw away a Weston McKennie header off a Christian Pulisic corner. The Red Star Belgrade 'keeper, who made two crucial saves in the win over Honduras, pounded the Canada badge on his chest after denying the Americans.
Borjan, who made another two out-of-this-world saves Thursday in Honduras, notched his 28th shutout in 60 appearances for Canada.
"I have no words for the performances he has been putting out there for us and making these huge huge saves for us in big big moments," said Osorio, who led the post-game drum-banging celebration in front of the fans.
Canadian defender Steven Vitoria was cautioned for a professional foul in the 31st minute, a second yellow that means he will miss the El Salvador game.
The U.S. had 64 per cent possession in the first half but only one of its seven shots was on target in the first 45 minutes.
The visitors finished with 10 men with defender Chris Robinson limping off in the dying minutes and Berhalter out of subs.
Canada was without Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, who has been sidelined by myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, after testing positive for COVID-19.
"Time to show .canmnt is here to stay. Good luck to my teammates tonight," Davies tweeted before kickoff.
Once again, the 21-year-old from Edmonton still managed to entertain, livestreaming on Twitch as he watched the game and celebrated the goals.
Influential midfielder Stephen Eustaquio was also still missing, in wake of reports in Portugal he had tested positive for COVID.
Herdman made four changes to his starting 11, introducing Miller, Osorio, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Richie Laryea. Borjan captained the team with Atiba Hutchinson rested.
Tyler Adams captained the U.S. for the seventh time, losing for the first time while wearing the armband.
The U.S. was missing defender Brooks Lennon (ankle) and forward Tim Weah, who was unable to get into Canada due to his vaccination status.
Canada and the U.S. tied 1-1 when they met in Nashville in September in both teams' second outing of the final round.
While the Americans lead the overall series between the two North American rivals at 16-10-12 (12-2-7 since 1990), Canada has a 7-4-4 edge in World Cup qualifying.
---
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2022
Donald Trump returned on Saturday to the Pennsylvania fairgrounds where he was nearly assassinated in July, holding a sprawling rally with thousands of supporters in a critical swing state Trump hopes to return to his column in November's election.
The owners of a North York condominium say they are facing a $70,000 special assessment to fix their building's parking garage. '$70,000 is a lot of money. It makes me very nervous and stressed out of nowhere for this huge debt to come in,' said Ligeng Guo.
Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.
Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It is located 220 miles (355 kilometres) north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico.
The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton鈥檚 McMaster University.
A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.
Argentine star Lionel Messi was on the bench to start Inter Miami CF's game in Toronto on Saturday.
Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.
Demonstrators converged on downtown Ottawa Saturday afternoon as part of a global day of action to protest Israel's military actions in the Middle East.
An organization who has assisted in locating 40 missing people since 2018, has its sights set on the Thames River near Cavendish Park in London, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.
Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.
The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.
Fedaa Nassar says any time she has heard the phone ring in the last year, she becomes overwhelmed with anxiety.
Powerful new explosions rocked Beirut's southern suburbs late Saturday as Israel expanded its bombardment in Lebanon, striking a Palestinian refugee camp deep in the north for the first time as it targeted both Hezbollah and Hamas fighters.
Donald Trump returned on Saturday to the Pennsylvania fairgrounds where he was nearly assassinated in July, holding a sprawling rally with thousands of supporters in a critical swing state Trump hopes to return to his column in November's election.
Being an armchair detective has turned into an American obsession, fueled by an abundance of true-crime content in podcasts and television series. But some of those projects have sparked actual legal developments.
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
French authorities said four migrants, including a two-year-old child, died Saturday in two separate incidents as they attempted to cross the English Channel toward Britain.
A rural Colorado county courthouse beefed up security Friday after threats were made against staff and a judge who sentenced former county clerk Tina Peters to nearly nine years behind bars for her role in a data breach scheme catalyzed by the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeatedly reiterated calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East on Saturday as he blamed Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel for a staggering number of civilian deaths.
While America's southern border remains a hot button issue on the campaign trail, the result of the U.S. election in November could also impact the northern frontier with Canada, which remains the longest undefended border in the world.
NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
Bruzzese came down with COVID-19 in February 2023, and received her injection at the end of March. 鈥淏eing able to recognize smells is something we take for granted, until you can鈥檛.鈥
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton鈥檚 McMaster University.
Convenience store firms that operate thousands of outlets across Canada are taking the federal government to court to overturn regulations that restrict the sale of nicotine pouches to pharmacies.
Scientists announced on Thursday a milestone in neurobiological research with the mapping of the entire brain of an adult fruit fly, a feat that may provide insight into brains across the animal kingdom, including people.
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Alphabet's Google is testing showing check marks next to certain companies on its search results, a company spokesperson said on Friday, in a move aimed at helping users identify verified sources and steer clear of fake websites.
Hollywood star Keanu Reeves made his professional auto racing debut on Saturday in an event in which 'The Matrix' star spun out at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
You might be thinking, 'Shut up!' but it鈥檚 officially true: the 'Princess Diaries' franchise is finally growing.
Legendary singer Paul Simon has said he is 'optimistic' about being able to return to performing live after losing most of his hearing in his left ear.
Dubai's Emirates airline has banned pagers and walkie-talkies from its planes, following last month's attacks on such devices carried by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
TikToks of customers stuffing their faces with a US$20 endless shrimp. More than 100 restaurant closures and thousands of layoffs. A revolving door of CEOs. Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Brazil's Supreme Court said on Friday that lawyers representing social media platform X did not pay pending fines to the right bank, postponing its decision on whether to allow the tech firm to resume services in Brazil.
Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.
A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.
Toilet paper shortages in stores across America are giving folks nightmarish reminders of the pandemic era. But the lack of toilet paper isn鈥檛 a direct result of a major port strike Tuesday. It鈥檚 because of panic buying.
Argentine star Lionel Messi was on the bench to start Inter Miami CF's game in Toronto on Saturday.
A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.
The loss that extinguished the Calgary Stampeders playoff dreams Friday provided some deja vu for head coach Dave Dickenson.
Tesla is recalling more than 27,000 Cybertrucks because the rearview camera image may not activate immediately after shifting into reverse, the fifth recall for the vehicle since it went on sale late last year.
A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.
Fire crews battled a massive blaze in downtown Langley Saturday morning.
A driver suffered only minor injuries after going airborne in a residential neighbourhood in Maple Ridge, B.C., on Friday, the car eventually landing on its roof in someone鈥檚 backyard.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
The Ontario Science Centre is set to launch two temporary satellite locations in other parts of Toronto, which could let visitors access some of its interactive exhibits while a full interim location remains at least a year away, 麻豆影视 has learned.
Leo Campana scored in stoppage time to leave Toronto FC's playoff hopes hanging by a thread after a 1-0 Inter Miami win Saturday.
A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.
An investigation is underway into a Friday night collision in southeast Calgary that left one person dead.
Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi laid out a path to the premier鈥檚 office at an NDP members' town hall meeting Saturday at the University of Calgary.
One person is dead following a rollover Saturday in the area of Plummers Road and Priddis Valley Road.
Demonstrators converged on downtown Ottawa Saturday afternoon as part of a global day of action to protest Israel's military actions in the Middle East.
Three people were taken to hospital after a crash between a pickup truck and a car in a rural part of Ottawa's south end on Saturday afternoon.
Environment Canada has issued a frost advisory as temperatures across Ottawa and eastern Ontario are expected to dip near the freezing mark this evening.
Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.
Montreal police say they are increasing their presence across the city ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 start of the Israel-Hamas war.
Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.
An estimated four billion birds will navigate man-made environments as they travel south from North America during fall migration. Tens of million of them will die en route due to human-created hazards.
Highway 39 near Warburg was closed Saturday after a serious crash involving a motorcycle and a van.
A 79-year-old woman is dead after the vehicle she was driving crashed into an east Edmonton building late Friday afternoon.
Avry Wortman, 13, scored two touchdowns on Sunday during her team's win in the under 14 Greater Moncton Football Association.
A riding in southwest New Brunswick that for decades was a Progressive Conservative stronghold is shaping up to be a bellwether that could offer a window into the future of the Tory party, and maybe of the province.
Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It is located 220 miles (355 kilometres) north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico.
It鈥檚 1998. Google was just born, and dial-up was the primary way to connect to the Internet. New sites were being developed daily on any number of topics, from recipes to shopping. David Yanciw, however, was thinking big - big things, that is.
Communities outside of the perimeter aren鈥檛 immune to the housing and affordability struggles seen in Winnipeg.
As many as 25,000 employees could hit the picket lines as early as Tuesday morning, making it the second-largest strike in Manitoba鈥檚 history.
Saskatchewan's two major political parties made campaign stops in Moose Jaw Saturday with both promising to invest into the city if elected on Oct. 28.
A wind warning was issued for parts of southern Saskatchewan, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour (km/h) possible in some areas on Saturday, Environment and Climate Change Canada says.
Regina Pats' captain Tanner Howe was hurt in just his second game back with the team after spending time at the Pittsburgh Penguins training camp this fall.
The Huron Ontario Provincial Police said they responded to a 鈥渄owned airplane鈥 just after 11 a.m. Saturday.
Police say they were called to the area of Simcoe Street and Market Street around 1:30 a.m. Saturday for a report of an assault.
The Oktoberfest Parade is fast approaching and organizers are urgently seeking volunteers to fill the role of sign carriers.
The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.
A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.
Saskatchewan's two major political parties made campaign stops in Moose Jaw Saturday with both promising to invest into the city if elected on Oct. 28.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.
Fire crews in Greater Sudbury battled a large garage fire on Friday.
An organization who has assisted in locating 40 missing people since 2018, has its sights set on the Thames River near Cavendish Park in London, Ont.
Huron OPP say they were on the scene of a plane crash this morning, with a pilot finding themselves unable to halt before the end of a runway in Brussels.
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.
OPP are seeking assistance in their search for a 30-year-old man last seen in Orillia.
Provincial police are investigating a collision along Highway 400 in Tay Township Friday afternoon.
More than a thousand residents attended the Town of Innisfil's inaugural 'InnisFALL' festival on Saturday, which celebrated the spirit of fall with live music and entertainment at Innisfil Town Square.
The municipality issued a stern reminder for code violators, as both were fined following a warning issued by Leamington Fire Services.
According to police, the suspect entered and vandalized the property in the 700 block of Grand Marais Road Easton on September 28.
Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.
NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.
Ever since Taylor Swift made thousands, if not millions, of loyal fans鈥 wildest dreams come true by announcing a three-show run in Vancouver this December, scammers have attempted, and sometimes succeeded, to take advantage of the scramble for tickets.
We haven't heard the candidates talk much about education during B.C.'s 2024 election campaign, but the teachers' union is trying to put the spotlight on that issue.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.
Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week 鈥 and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.
While the summer may be over, construction season in Lethbridge is not.
Lethbridge police executed dozens of warrants and laid numerous charges in another targeted enforcement project in the downtown area.
A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.
The Ontario College of Family Physicians has presented awards to 750 doctors based on comments from patients, including eight physicians who are part of the Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.
Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.
A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people鈥檚 basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.
