International Friendly: USA Edges Canada 1-0

USA Completes Perfect International Window

The United States capped a perfect September/October international window with a scrappy 1-0 victory over Canada on Tuesday night in St. Paul, Minnesota, finishing the four-match stretch with four wins. Orlando City teenager Justin Ellis scored the decisive goal in the 29th minute, getting on the end of an Alex Freeman cross and redirecting it into the net to give the U.S. the lead.

Justin Ellis Delivers Again for the United States

Ellis continued his impressive international window after also scoring the opening goal in the United States’ victory over Peru on Sept. 26. His goal against Canada was particularly impressive considering he was still dealing with the effects of a hard foul just 10 minutes earlier.

Ellis went down after the challenge and received treatment on the sideline. He was still limping when he returned to the field, but that did not stop the teenager from making his mark just minutes later. The goal proved to be enough as the United States and Canada battled through a physical, back-and-forth match. Both teams went deep into their benches, but neither could find another goal.

Pochettino Continues to Mix Youth and Experience

The victory extended the U.S. winning streak to four matches under Mauricio Pochettino during this international window. The Americans entered Tuesday’s match after victories over Peru, Chile and Mexico, with Pochettino continuing to experiment with combinations of young players and veterans. Pochettino made six changes to the starting lineup that opened the 3-0 victory over Mexico, while also handing winger Mathis Albert his first career start.

The United States also turned to Brian Schwake in goal. The Nashville SC starter had appeared as a substitute against Chile and earned his first international start against Canada, making three saves to preserve the clean sheet. Schwake’s biggest moment came in the 63rd minute when he reacted quickly to tip a close-range effort from Luc de Fougerolles onto the crossbar and keep the United States in front.

U.S. Looks Ahead to Nations League Quarterfinals

The victory improved the United States’ all-time record against Canada to 17 wins, 12 losses and 13 draws across all competitions. The four-match run marked the first games for Pochettino and the United States since their elimination from the World Cup in the round of 16 by Belgium over the summer. The results provided the Americans with a perfect start to the next phase of their preparations.

The United States will return to action in November for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, where it will face Haiti in a home-and-away series for a place in next year’s semifinals. Canada will also compete in the quarterfinals and will face Guatemala.