Marsch says Canadian men expect a 'big response' from U.S. in third-place game

Canada's head coach Jesse Marsch reacts during the second half of a CONCACAF Nations League semifinal soccer match against Mexico Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Etienne Laurent

Canada coach Jesse Marsch says his team has put aside the disappointment of its semifinal loss to Mexico and expects a highly motivated United States in Sunday’s third-place game at the CONCACAF Nations League.

Given the critical response to the Americans' upset loss to Panama in their semifinal, Marsch said the Canadian men face “a hard, real game and a big response from the U.S. national team.”

Canada, ranked No. 31 in the world, lost 2-0 to No. 19 Mexico on Thursday while the 16th-ranked U.S., conceding a 94th-minute goal, were beaten 1-0 by No. 36 Panama, ending their bid for a fourth straight title.

The teams return to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Sunday with Mexico facing Panama for the title after Canada takes on the U.S. in the consolation game.

“Our guys are excited about the challenge,” Marsch told a news conference Saturday. “The disappointment of the game against Mexico is behind us. We know there’s some things we can do better, but overall the performance was strong and our team continues to show that we are a good team and that we’re going to continue to get better.”

Marsch downplayed the backdrop of the political tension between the two nations.

“The climate politically has calmed down,” he said. “There’s still the rhetoric out there about (Canada becoming) the 51st state but I think people are becoming more numb to it than what they were a month ago during the Four Nations (Face-Off hockey) tournament. However, we are still very aware that there’s still a different climate than what there was the last time we played the U.S. in September.”

Canada won 2-1 then, in a friendly in Kansas City. The U.S. were led by interim coach Mikey Varas at the time.

That victory was the Canadian men’s first against the Americans on U.S. soil since July 1957, a 3-2 World Cup qualifying win in St. Louis.

Canada hasn’t beaten the U.S. in consecutive matches since it won 2-1 in a World Cup qualifying/CONCACAF Championship game in November 1980 and 2-0 in an April 1985 friendly, both in Vancouver.

The Canadian men go into Sunday’s game with an 11-17-13 career record against the U.S.

Marsch turned heads during the Mexico game when he held up a sign with the letter X on it, explaining later he was communicating a set-piece play to his team. He said he is looking to bring in a set-piece coach, noting the team has only scored two set-piece goals in his 14 matches in charge.

“I really care about this and we need to become a good set-piece team,” he said.

Marsch was critical about the officiating in Thursday’s semifinal, specifically about an early missed penalty call when Mexican captain Edson Alvarez got a piece of Canadian defender Derek Cornelius in the Mexican penalty box.

He said his players were even more irate.

“I would say that my frustration paled in comparison to their anger. And the reason why is because I think they felt that disrespect for a long time,” the coach said.

The fact that the non-penalty call was not reviewed by the video assistant referee was “inexcusable,” he added,

U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, said he would make changes to his lineup Sunday in a bid to improve team chemistry.

“The chemistry I didn’t see in the team. That is what worries me,” he said. “Maybe it was my fault and now we need to select different players … For me, (Sunday) is going to be an important game to see how we react. We need to show character.”

The winning goal by substitute Cecilio Waterman came on Panama’s only shot on target. The U.S. outshot Panama 12-3 (5-1 in shots on target).

“For sure we deserved to win the game … With only one shot on target, Panama scored and beat us. But that is football,” said Pochettino.

The Panama loss “should be a lesson learned that we cannot underestimate any opponent,” the Argentine said through an interpreter.

It marked just Panama’s fourth win in 29 meetings with the U.S. (4-18-7). But Panama has proved to be a prickly opponent of late, with the Americans winning just six of the last 14 games (6-3-5).

Canada is 5-4-5 under Marsch, with one of those ties turning into a penalty shootout loss to No. 11 Uruguay and another to a shootout win over No. 47 Venezuela at Copa America.

This year’s Nations League is worth $2 million (all figures in U.S. dollars) to the winner with the runner-up collecting $1 million. Third place is worth $600,000 with $200,000 going to the fourth-place side.

Canada placed fifth (2019-20), second (2022-23) and fifth (2023-24) in the three previous editions of the CONCACAF Nations League. Canada and then-coach John Herdman lost the 2022-23 final 2-0 to the U.S. in Las Vegas.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 22, 2025

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press