The Canadian men’s national team conceded an injury-time equalizer to drop points against Guadeloupe, 2-2, beginning their 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup campaign with a disappointing draw Tuesday evening at BMO Field.
Canada were minutes away from completing a come-from-behind victory and looked to see the game out, but were left stunned thanks to a late and unfortunate Jacen Russell-Rowe own-goal.
Here’s how John Herdman’s squad fared in their Group D opener.
Borjan made a terrific first save on Thierry Ambrose in the 16th minute, but was beaten by the Guadeloupe striker minutes later – a play the veteran goalkeeper slipped on. He had other moments of shakiness, and Tuesday night was overall another uninspiring performance from Canada’s No. 1.
Miller led all Canadians with 72 touches and was probably their best defender on the evening. However, by his standards, he'll likely be disappointed considering Les Rouges conceded a pair of goals to an inferior side.
Vitória had a night to forget. He was beaten far too easily a couple of times by Guadeloupe striker Ambrose, including on the opening goal. He was better in the second half, but it’s a performance that the veteran defender will want to put behind him as soon as possible.
McGraw has been a staple in the backline of the Portland Timbers this season, and he was rewarded with his first cap for Canada. Like Vitória, McGraw was beaten a bit too easily at times on Tuesday evening. Nevertheless, it was important for the young defender to get his feet wet on the international stage.
On loan at Toronto FC, Laryea's future is very much up in the air. However, the Nottingham Forest defender showed no signs of the off-field uncertainty affecting his performance on the pitch. He played a crucial role in Canada's go-ahead marker and was substituted off moments before Guadeloupe's late equalizer.
Athleticism and a willingness to get stuck in. Bombito, in his first cap for Canada, showed why the Colorado Rapids selected him third overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. The 23-year-old defender operated in a bit of a different role than he’s been accustomed to – a single pivot in the heart of midfield – but impressed, showing off his ability on the ball, connecting on 82% of his passes, including a perfect four-for-four on long balls.
Osorio had a solid first half – highlighted by a trio of key passes – but faded as the match wore on. The Toronto FC midfielder is going to be crucial to Canada's success in this tournament.
Making his international debut, Ahmed was a bright spot for Canada in the first half, showing a willingness to take players on and beat them 1-v-1. The Vancouver Whitecaps FC youngster’s build-up play led directly to Canada’s go-ahead goal in the 71st minute.
Millar was lively to begin the match and showed flashes of promise going forward, but was unable to convert any of his positive positions into tangible chances. Canada has depth at wing this tournament, so he needs to make the most of his opportunities.
The former Vancouver Whitecaps striker made his presence felt with a few hard challenges in the first half, picked up a yellow card, and then scored the first goal of the tournament for Canada in the 49th minute, finishing off a give-and-go with Junior Hoilett. It was a workman-like performance from Cavallini that fans have grown accustomed to.
In the opening minute of the second half, Hoilett made a great individual run and thought he won a penalty for Canada, but it was overturned after a Video Review. Moments later, he played a wicked outside-of-the-boot pass to find Cavallini to get Canada on the board.
Canada were not great in the first half and that's a direct reflection on the head coach, who did not seem to set his team up for success. Credit is due for whatever instructions Herdman gave his players during the break because Canada responded, but dropping points to Guadeloupe is a major disappointment. There's no two ways about it.
Substitutes
Whether it's Gary Smith in Nashville or John Herdman with Canada, if there's one thing that coaches know they'll get out of Shaffelburg, it's that the pacey winger will work his tail off. He did just that during his first international appearance since 2021.
Brym entered the tournament in great form, but wasn't able to make a difference on Tuesday. He is clearly talented, but has yet to take that step forward in a Canada shirt. Will the Gold Cup finally be the tournament that sees Brym break out on the international stage?
Fraser was a late addition to Canada's Gold Cup roster, so seeing minutes in the first match is a positive for the 25-year-old midfielder. That being said, it was a quiet 26 minutes for the former Toronto FC homegrown.
It's a real shame Russell-Rowe was involved in Guadeloupe's late equalizer, but the Columbus Crew youngster is going to have a bright future on the international stage.
The fifth player to make his debut for John Herdman's side, there wasn't enough of a sample to fairly judge Zator's performance. Yet it was great to see the former Canadian Premier League product get a run-out.
