The United States men’s national football team suffered a shocking 1-2 defeat against Canada in a friendly match on Saturday, marking their first home loss to the Canadians since 1957. This historic result came in front of a crowd of 10,523 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
Canada, coached by American Jesse Marsch, took advantage of defensive lapses by the US to secure their second victory on American soil in 27 meetings over 99 years. Jacob Shaffelburg opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Tim Ream’s poor pass was intercepted, allowing Shaffelburg to slot the ball past goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.
Jonathan David doubled Canada’s lead in the 58th minute, capitalizing on another Ream turnover to score his 29th international goal and match Cyle Larin as Canada’s all-time top scorer[3].
Luca de la Torre pulled one back for the US in the 66th minute with his first international strike, but despite late pressure, including a chance for Ricardo Pepi, the Americans were unable to find an equalizer.
Interim US coach Mikey Varas, who took over after Gregg Berhalter’s dismissal following the team’s early exit from the Copa America, expressed disappointment in the team’s mentality and defensive organization.
This loss extends the US’s poor run of form, marking their third consecutive defeat for the first time since 2015. Another loss against New Zealand on Tuesday would result in the Americans’ first four-game losing streak since 2007.
Canada’s victory showcased their continued upward trajectory under Marsch, who previously served as an assistant coach for the US national team. The result will provide a boost to Canada’s confidence as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which they will co-host with the US and Mexico.
