MATCH PREVIEW ft. Herculez Gomez: 3 key tactical questions for CanMNT vs. USMNT
It’s a chance at revenge.
Of course, a lot has changed for both the CanMNT and the USMNT since they met in the Concacaf Nations League final back on June 18th. Namely, their rosters, as they then both entered the Gold Cup with significantly weaker groups, as several of both team’s star players turned their focus towards resting and preparing for a new season after a gruelling campaign.
Now, however, they’ve got a chance to meet again, as they get set to face off in the quarter-finals of the Gold Cup on Sunday, exactly three weeks after their last meeting.
For Canada, that’s huge, as it’s a chance to directly avenge that finals loss in a competitive and high-stakes match. Even if both teams aren’t at full strength, this tournament does mean a lot, especially given that the US has made the final in all but three tournaments since 2000, meaning that not making the final is usually the bar for failure for them.
Plus, there’s the reality that the Gold Cup is a tournament that has a lot of history attached to it compared to the Nations League. Canada knows it, sitting as the only team not named the US or Mexico to ever win it, as their 2000 triumph still gets talked about with reverence to this day.
And, at the end of the day, this is a rivalry. Anytime that Canada and the US meet in anything, it usually means something.
Unfinished Business ⚔️#WeCAN #CANMNT pic.twitter.com/lEqUAEHIqH
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) July 5, 2023
Because of that, there’s no doubting the importance of this matchup, especially for Canada, who enters this game coming off a disappointing group-stage performance at this Gold Cup.
With pressure quickly mounting for Canada, a win over the US in the US (something they haven’t done since the 1950s) would do a lot to appease some of those tensions, helping bring back some good vibes to a team that desperately needs it.
If they’re to do so, however, they’ll have to be very wary of the US team, tactically. Even without their main players, this is a deep team, and one that has a very clear idea of what to do.
With that in mind, here’s a look at three key tactical questions that Canada will look to answer in this game, as they try to return to the top of the Gold Cup mountain for the first time in 23 years.
Is Canada ready to sacrifice style for substance?
While it’s unsure how this matchup will exactly play out in the end, one thing’s for sure - Canada won’t be seeing a lot of the ball.
Given that the US is a very ball-dominant team, averaging 63.43% possession in this tournament, expect them to come out and try to play on the front foot in this game.
There, Canada has a few options - they can try to push back and try to play on the front foot themselves. Or, they can play a bit more pragmatically, and try to hit the US on the counter.
GOAL 🇨🇦🇨🇦
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) July 4, 2023
Jonathan Osorio makes it 2-0 for the #CanMNT vs. Cuba in this Gold Cup clash, tapping home off a good bit of inter-play 🤝
It's goal no. 9 for the #TFClive star 💪 pic.twitter.com/vbOpkXu72P
Typically, they’ve had no problems with the latter in the past. They showed that in World Cup qualifying, where they were able to nab four out of six points off the US with a very cautious approach.
Now, however, they’ve wanted to be a team that does more of the former, and that’s hurt them at times. The final was a big example of that, as they tried to go toe-to-toe with the US, which backfired on them early as the US scored two goals inside 35 minutes to quickly put the game away.
Because of that, it might be wise for them to play a bit more cautiously in this game, sacrificing style for more of a defence-first, pragmatic approach. It might not be pretty, and will require a lot of concentration defensively, but that’s sometimes what you need to do.
Plus, as we’ve seen throughout the tournament, it might also benefit Canada’s defenders, too.
The group of defenders that they have are usually a lot better when the game is in front of them, as they can struggle when matches open up. Among Canadian centre backs, only Moïse Bombito and Scott Kennedy have shown to have the pace to keep up in a wide-open match, and they’re unlikely to both start at centre back in this one, with Canada expected to go with Kamal Miller, Steven Vitória and either Zac McGraw or Bombito in a back three.
We’ve seen that lack of speed emerge as a big problem this tournament, too, as Guadeloupe, Guatemala and Cuba all had moments of joy in transition against Canada, who just weren’t able to keep up when those games turned into track meets.
By playing more behind the ball, however, that can be less of an issue, something they know well from World Cup qualifying, where they rode an approach like that all the way to the final tournament.
Of course, long-term they’ll need to find a way to play on the front foot if they’re to become a top team, which will require either some new defensive personnel or a tactical adjustment to their current 3-5-2 set-up (or both), but in this game, they can forget about that.
In a competitive knock-out game, experimentation can temporarily be halted to focus on winning, which can be just as important for a young group to learn and accomplish together as figuring a new formation would be. 
Will they be able to limit damage in wide areas?
When watching this US team, one thing stands out immediately - this team loves to play in wide areas.
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Zendejas mete la pelota en el área y Jesus Ferreira la manda guardar 👏🏻👏🏻
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On the ball, they may have a variety of different build-up patterns, but a lot of them lead to the same principle - they want to get their wingers on the ball either in behind opposing defenders or in the half-space on either side of the opposing centre backs, where they’ll look to both create and shoot.
Plus, more specifically, they want to do that while having those wingers cut inside, as they typically play inverted, opening up space for overlaps from their full backs such as Bryan Reynolds and DeJuan Jones, who are dangerous in the final third.
Because of that, Canada will need to be wary of the different threats that the US can employ out wide.
⚽️🔥🇺🇸 ¡Gooool de Team USA!
— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) July 2, 2023
⚽️🔥🇺🇸 ¡Gooool de Team USA!
⚽️🔥🇺🇸 ¡Gooool de Team USA!
Jesus Ferreira abre el marcador 😍😍😍😍😍😍
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To do that, they’ll need to be very organized defensively, making sure to keep a compact defensive line, as the US does a good job of drawing defenders out before playing dangerous passes in behind.
Also, they’ll need to apply all sorts of pressure in midfield, forcing the US to play horizontally instead of vertically with their passing.
In particular, the midfield battle will be key in that regard. While the US has strong options up front, led by the red-hot Jesus Ferreira, and supported by Cristian Roldan, Jordan Morris, Cade Cowell and more, the midfield is where the US does a lot of their important tactical work.
Therefore, it’s imperative that Canada closes down space for likely starting midfielders Gianluca Busio, James Sands and Djordje Mihailovic, as they will try to break lines and get Canada to break their defensive shape, opening up those dangerous passes to their wingers.
In response to that, Canada should either try and match that and play with a three in midfield, or potentially even try and go for a boxed four-player midfield, as they’ve done in the past against the US.
If not, the game will open up, and if they do, the US could risk doing a lot of damage in those wide areas, allowing them to better execute their game plan.
⚽️🔥🇺🇸 ¡Gooool de Team USA!
— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) July 3, 2023
⚽️🔥🇺🇸 ¡Gooool de Team USA!
⚽️🔥🇺🇸 ¡Gooool de Team USA!
Gianluca Busio entra por sorpresa, recibe y la manda guardar ¡5-0! 😍😍😍
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Can they break down the US’s defence?
Lastly, the big battle for Canada will be to generate any sort of chances, which will be a challenge against the US backline.
A defence that has only allowed 2.45 xG across three group stage games, 1.6 of which was a sequence in which Jamaica’s Leon Bailey had a penalty saved and then somehow missed the wide-open rebound, they’ve been formidable throughout this tournament, only allowing one goal, and none from open play.
Of course, the calibre of the opponents they faced in the group stage played a big role in that, but this is a team that defends well as a team, and also has good individual players. Starting in goal with Matt Turner, and then moving up into centre back and in midfield, this US team has a good defensive spine, something that’s been reflected in their performances.
In particular, they’re tough to beat when they’re set, as they do well to get behind the ball, applying good aggressive pressure in midfield, forcing teams into wide areas. From there, their central defenders, which in this game will likely be two of Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga or Jalen Neal, are usually very good in the air.
#CANMNT GOAL 🇨🇦
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) June 28, 2023
The first pass 👀
The second pass 🤯
The FINISH by Lucas Cavallini 😱
Perfection ✨
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Because of that, Canada will need to find ways to hit in transition and catch them when their line is higher up the pitch, as that’s where the US will be most vulnerable, given how aggressively they can play offensively.
Then, from there, if faced with a set US defence, they’ll need to find ways to play through the middle, finding ways to draw them out of position to open up a lane in behind.
Lastly, it’ll be imperative for Canada to make the most of set-pieces, especially if they don’t see as much of the ball, much as the US did to them in the Nations League final.
It won’t be pretty, but Canada won’t mind that, as they try to take down the current giants of Concacaf, who are on the hunt for a fourth straight trophy, and look eager to push down anyone in their way.
At the very least, Canada will look to make a game out of this, as they attempt to both avenge that final and put a tough group stage behind them, something that a strong performance in this game will help them do. 
