The Game Turned Late
MONTREAL — Jesse Marsch walked into the Stade Saputo press room braced for a flood of questions about Canada's goal-scoring problems. He joked he'd decline any with a negative angle. A 1-1 draw with lower-ranked Ireland — Canada's goal coming off an Irish defender — did little to ease those concerns ahead of the World Cup kickoff.
"We've got to score some goals, but we will," Marsch said post-match. "I know we have firepower. The goals haven't been coming, but I'm going to say it again — they're coming."
That is the kind of timeline that turns planning into calendar management.
The hosts managed 20 shot attempts against Ireland, but only two required the keeper to save. That's the nub of the problem: buildups look decent, the finish doesn't arrive. Eleven goals across the last 10 matches tells its own story.
The Small Details Added Up
Unlocking Jonathan David and Cyle Larin would solve most of it. David, coming off a difficult first season with Juventus, has one open-play goal in 10 Canada appearances since September. Larin found form at Southampton this term but hasn't scored for his country in 14 attempts. The 31-year-old from Brampton, Ont., had a scoring chance Friday, then conceded a penalty with a reckless foul.
Luc de Fougerolles stepped in for the injured Moïse Bombito at centre back and impressed. "Luc with the ball was outstanding," Marsch said. "He helped set up our initial movements and was strong in what we call rest defence." Bombito, recovering from a fractured tibia, played just 30 minutes Monday against Uzbekistan.
Ismaël Koné offered a bright spot. The 23-year-old midfielder finished with 90 touches, 76 passes, three tackles and three shots. "I got after him after Uzbekistan — he was floating around, too slow," Marsch said. "Today he picked it all up. This is my vision for Ismael: an intensive player with a gift on the ball that teams can't plan for. He's an X-factor for us."
The Table Looks Different
Canada opens against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto on Friday.