Three Canada takeaways from impressive draw with USMNT in Nashville | MLSSoccer.com
Canada are still searching for their first win in Concacaf's final round of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but will be far happier than the US men's national team after Sunday's 1-1 draw in Nashville .
Canada knew all the pressure was on the US to get three points.
Using that to their advantage, Canada’s plan early was to sit numbers in their own end and force the US to break them down. They were organized, they were largely frustrating and they were able to snatch a few dangerous chances on the counter-attack.
“We had a clear plan coming through the game. We would call them micro performances,” said head coach John Herdman afterward. “Periods in the game that we’re going to focus intently on certain things. Execute, execute, change, execute, execute, change and that’s what these players were doing all game. The little, subtle changes that were going on. The games within games. I thought they did well.”
While they were eventually undone by ex-Philadelphia Union homegrown Brendan Aaronson in the 55th minute, they didn’t make it easy for the Americans. The US had to earn every inch and it took its toll on the Americans, who began to fade as the second half wore on.
After Aaronson’s goal, Canada used their speed to create the opportunity that led to Cyle Larin’s 62nd-minute equalizer.
Defender Sam Adekugbe sprung Alphonso Davies up the left side and he was off to the races. The Bayern Munich star used that renowned world-class pace to breeze past DeAndre Yedlin and set up Larin to swiftly make it 1-1.
