EDMONTON — Canada posted a 2‑0 win over Uzbekistan at Commonwealth Stadium on Monday, the opening tune‑up ahead of the World Cup. Both goals came after the break, giving the host side a comfortable finish in difficult conditions.
Rain turns pitch into a shallow lake
Two days of relentless rain left the field waterlogged, and the downpour kept coming through the match. Though the temperature hovered around 11 °C—far milder than the –9 °C snowbound contest Canada played here in 2021—the surface was soft and slippery. Attendance was announced at 46,164, a slight rise from the 44,000 who showed up for the 2021 freezing fixture.
The field looked more like a shallow pool than a soccer pitch, yet play carried on without a pause.
Second‑half surge breaks the deadlock
Canada managed little threat in the opening quarter, with Uzbekistan sitting deep in a five‑man defensive wall. The game's turning point arrived in the 58‑minute mark when Tani Oluwaseyi slipped a ball to Jonathan Osorio near the right side of the box; his shot slipped past keeper Abduvohid Nematov to open the scoring.
Inside the first minute of stoppage time, Jayden Nelson collected the ball close to the net and lifted a chip over Nematov for the insurance goal.
Uzbekistan’s missed chances
Eldor Shomurodov caused the biggest danger in the first half, getting behind the Canadian defence on several occasions. In the sixth minute he lifted a chip over Maxime Crépeau that drifted wide, and Crépeau denied him with sharp stops in the 26th and 43rd minutes. The visitors could not convert any of those openings, and Canada’s repeated substitutions after the interval pushed the match in their favour.
Uzbekistan’s forward squandered three clear chances, and the missed opportunities proved costly.
Looking ahead to Montreal
Canada will now travel to Montreal to face Ireland on Friday in their final pre‑tournament friendly. When the World Cup kicks off June 12, Canada will compete in Group B alongside Switzerland, Qatar and Bosnia‑Herzegovina.