Jesse Marsch has had several Canada lineup calls shaped by injuries at the FIFA World Cup, but his choice beside Jonathan David has remained a tactical decision.
Canada has opened each match with two strikers. Tani Oluwaseyi and Cyle Larin have each started beside David, while Promise David has made his impact as a substitute ahead of the Round of 16 match against Morocco, the 2022 semifinalists.
Larin, Oluwaseyi And Promise David In The Striker Mix
Marsch started Oluwaseyi ahead of Larin against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Larin later came on and scored in a 1-1 draw, giving Canada its first World Cup point.
Larin returned to the Starting XI against Qatar and scored in the 16th minute of a 6-0 win. He also started the 2-1 loss to Switzerland, leaving in the 57th minute after receiving a yellow card in the first half.
Oluwaseyi replaced him against Switzerland, but Promise David supplied Canada’s goal after coming on for Tajon Buchanon in the 75th minute. Against South Africa, Marsch went back to Oluwaseyi from the start, then replaced him with Promise David in the 70th minute. Larin did not enter before Stephen Eustaquio scored in stoppage time.
Oluwaseyi, a 26-year-old Villareal forward, has appeared in every Canada match at the tournament but has not scored. He had six shots in the tournament, including three on target. Larin has two goals from nine shots, four on target, while Promise David has one goal from five shots.
Promise David’s availability for a start remains part of the decision because the Union Saint-Gilloise forward is playing after surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his hip.
Jonathan David Remains Canada’s Constant Up Front
Jonathan David has started every Canada match and had a hat trick against Qatar. The Juventus striker has taken 15 shots, seven on target, and has played 90 minutes in every match since being substituted for Larin against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The decision beside him gives Marsch a choice between Larin’s finishing, Oluwaseyi’s repeated starts and Promise David’s recent scoring contribution.
Davies, Midfield And Backline Choices For Marsch
Canada has also rotated on the left side of midfield, where Liam Millar and Ali Ahmed have traded starts while the team has managed Alphonso Davies’ place in the lineup. Davies made his tournament debut against South Africa as a 75th-minute substitute and immediately affected the match, but his hamstring recovery still leaves his Starting XI status unclear.
If Davies remains a bench option, Marsch’s choices include Millar, Ahmed and Jacob Shaffelburg, who has appeared in every match as a substitute.
In central midfield, Ismael Kone is out after suffering a fractured tibia and fibula against Qatar. Both Nathan Saliba and Mathieu Choiniere started against Switzerland while Eustaquio was limited by a knock, and Saliba later started with Eustaquio against South Africa before Nico Sigur replaced him after a yellow card.
On the backline, Moïse Bombito started with Derek Cornelius at centreback against South Africa for the first time in the tournament. Luc de Fougerolles started the first three matches and replaced Bombito in the 59th minute, leaving Marsch to weigh another possible backline substitution against Morocco.
Elsewhere, Tajon Buchanon, Alistair Johnston, Richie Laryea, Jonathan David and Maxime Crepeau have been constants in the Starting XI.