The United States hoped their first-round exit from the Copa América this summer was a fluke, but instead they showed an alarming lack of intensity, resulting in their first home defeat to Canada since 1957.
Jacob Shaffelburg and Jonathan David scored on defensive errors as Canada dominated a 2-1 friendly on Saturday, only their second win over the Americans in 27 games on American soil.
While Canada’s American-born coach Jesse Marsch beamed after a win over a team that passed him over for the U.S. national team job, U.S. interim coach Mikey Varas was critical of himself and his players.
“The mentality is with the players. Sorry, they know that,” Varas said. “That mentality to fight and run and sacrifice, I can’t do that for them. I can’t do that for them. It’s up to them.”
After defeats to Panama and Uruguay in the Copa América, the U.S. has lost three games in a row for the first time since 2015. A loss to New Zealand on Tuesday in Cincinnati would result in the Americans’ first four-game losing streak since 2007.
“Our mentality wasn’t quite right everywhere today,” said defender Chris Richards.
Varas rose from assistant after Gregg Berhalter was fired following the Copa América flop. The U.S. Soccer Federation is trying to reach a deal for Mauricio Pochettino to become the team’s 10th coach in 14 years, but has not commented on the talks, which began in mid-August.
“You just never know how it’s going to translate from training to the game after three training sessions, and I asked a lot of it,” Varas said. “The first goal, that’s my fault, both goals, because when you don’t have a lot of time to work and you want to play a certain way, it creates confusion.”
Before a crowd of 10,523 at a half-full Children’s Mercy Park, Shaffelburg put Canada ahead in the 17th minute when Tim Ream’s pass deflected off Johnny Cardoso. David added his 29th international goal in the 58th minute when Ream turned the ball in front of his own net.
Luca de la Torre scored his first international goal for the U.S. in the 66th minute off a pass from Aidan Morris, who had replaced de la Torre four minutes earlier. Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau used his right hand to save Ricardo Pepi’s open shot in the 86th minute.
“The translation of the ideas was not clear enough, because you shouldn’t stand still and just pass the ball for the sake of passing the ball,” Varas said.
Canada hired Marsch as coach in May and finished fourth in the Copa América. He interviewed with the USSF in 2023 before rehiring Berhalter in June.
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“I’m not bitter,” Marsch said. “Most people, if they ask me a question, I answer it. That’s how I operate in the media.”
Canada outscored the U.S. 17-8, including 11-1 in the first half, and had a 31-12 margin in tackles, the Americans’ worst margin since a 2020 friendly in Wales. The Canadians had gone 23 straight games against the U.S. in America without a win since a 3-2 victory in a World Cup qualifier in July 1957.
“I would rather coach Canada than the U.S. right now,” Marsch said. “You see the mentality that’s developed. You see the way this team plays. You see how much they love playing for the national team and they’re willing to risk their careers, their lives and the way they play to be the best they can be for each other and for the team.
Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte made his second start in the U.S., replacing Matt Turner, who hasn’t played a club game since April. Ream started after transferring to Charlotte from Fulham.
No MLS players had started in the previous six games, and only eight of the 198 starting positions in the 18 games available since the 2022 World Cup have been filled by MLS players.
“We just weren’t intense enough at times,” said de la Torre.