Form Guide: How CanMNT's squad is performing ahead of Australia, Colombia friendlies

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This Friday, the Canadian men’s national team are back in Montréal for the first time in a decade as they take on Australia in an international friendly at Stade Saputo (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on OneSoccer, TSN and RDS).

Four days later, on Tuesday, October 14, they play against 13th-ranked Colombia in New Jersey in perhaps their most significant test since the 2025 Copa América (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT).

Canada have named a strong squad for these matches, albeit one weakened slightly by the significant injury to Moïse Bombito on Sunday. Portland Timbers central defender Kamal Miller has since replaced him.  

Here is a look at how Canada’s 24-player squad is performing heading into the international window:

Goalkeepers

Max Crépeau, Portland Timbers

This past weekend, Crépeau made his first and only appearance since the September window, making a pair of saves in a 1-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders. Between precaution after suffering a head injury in Canada’s match against Romania, and Pantemis’s performances, he has served as the backup in recent weeks. 

James Pantemis, Portland Timbers 

With Portland not playing this window, and no conflict in taking both of the Timbers' goalkeepers, Pantemis has been called back into the Canada camp. He started six of the past seven for the Timbers, over Crépeau, but missed this past weekend through injury – leading to potential questions about his fitness coming into camp. 

Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United 

St. Clair kept his tenth clean sheet of the season this weekend in a 3-0 victory for Minnesota United over Sporting Kansas City. He sits fourth in MLS in saves made this season with 108, and has started all four of Minnesota’s matches since the September window.

Defenders

Zorhan Bassong, Sporting Kansas City 

Bassong has started the past three matches for Sporting Kansas City in midfield, the position where he has spent most of the season. When not with the Canadian men’s national team, Bassong has consistently started in the centre of the park for SKC all season.  

Derek Cornelius, Rangers

After joining Rangers on loan from Marseille ahead of this past international window, Cornelius has already made six appearances for the Scottish giants. That includes a pair of starts in the Europa League, and playing as a left-back this weekend against Falkirk where he earned an assist in a 1-1 draw. Rangers may be struggling this season, but Cornelius has been in solid form. 

Luc de Fougerolles, FCV Dender 

The 19-year-old continues to start in a back three in the Belgian top flight, including in all four of his matches since returning from international duty. This has been crucial professional experience for de Fougerolles, despite the fact that Dender are still winless this season, and sit at the bottom of the league table. 

Richie Laryea, Toronto FC 

The full-back has been in excellent form since September, scoring a goal and adding an assist after starting the past three games for Toronto FC. He has played both right and left-back in recent weeks. 

Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers 

A late injury call-up to replace Moïse Bombito, Miller has started the past three matches for the Timbers. He scored an absolute worldie in their 1-1 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps late last month.

Niko Sigur, Hajduk Split 

After starting two matches to begin September, one in midfield and one at right back, Sigur came off the bench for Hadjuk Split the past two weeks. He did, however, earn an assist on their match winner in a 1-0 victory over NK Vukover 1991 this past weekend. 

Joel Waterman, Chicago Fire 

Since moving to the Chicago Fire in August, Waterman has started the past five matches, scoring his first goal of the season in a 3-0 win against Minnesota United on September 20. He has been crucial to Chicago’s playoff chase, as the club are undefeated in their past four.

Midfielders 

Ali Ahmed, Vancouver Whitecaps 

After scoring his first international goal during the September window against Romania, Ahmed took that confidence back with him when he returned the Vancouver Whitecaps. He has three assists in five MLS matches with the Whitecaps. His best performance, however, came in the Canadian Championship final where he scored a brace in a 4-2 victory over Vancouver FC as the Whitecaps lifted their fourth-straight Voyageurs Cup. Ahmed was named Player of the Tournament. 

Tajon Buchanan, Villarreal 

While offensively Buchanan has yet to build on his historic hat-trick earlier in the season, he has still held down a starting role with Villarreal. He has three starts in the past five matches for Villarreal, including in the Champions League against Tottenham. 

Mathieu Choinière, LAFC 

The midfielder’s loan move to LAFC is going quite well as he is getting consistent minutes for one of the league’s top clubs. He has started four of their past five matches, all of which have been wins. 

Stephen Eustáquio, FC Porto 

Eustáquio made his first start of the season this past week, going the full 90 in a 2-1 win over Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League. He still has yet to start in the league, however, and did not appear in this weekend’s 0-0 draw with Benfica. 

Ismaël Koné, Sassuolo 

After a bit of a rocky start, being sent off in his first match in Serie A against Napoli, Koné has settled in brilliantly in Italy. He started Sassuolo’s past four matches, three of which have been wins, scoring his first Serie A goal in a 3-1 win over Udinese. He comes into Canada camp in the best form he has been in a while. 

Liam Millar, Hull City 

Out for nearly a year with an ACL injury, Millar played his first minutes for Hull City since October of 2024 this past week, coming off the bench twice. He has been called right back into the Canada fold, where he will renew this fight for a spot on the incredibly competitive left flank. 

Jayden Nelson, Vancouver Whitecaps 

Nelson has mostly come off the bench in recent weeks for the Whitecaps, but did start this past weekend in a 4-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes. He picked up an assist on Ryan Gauld’s goal in the Canadian Championship final, and won the competition’s Young Player of the Tournament. 

Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC 

Having missed out on the September window, Jonathan Osorio is back for October’s friendlies. Since returning from a leg injury suffered over the summer, he has started nine consecutive games – playing more as a deep lying midfielder. He scored against CF Montréal in late August, before picking up an assists against Columbus late last month. 

Nathan Saliba, RSC Anderlecht 

Saliba is settling in with Anderlecht in Belgium brilliantly. He has played the full 90 minutes the past three matches in central midfield, and pitch up an assist on the match winner against Gent late last month. Still just 21, he has adapted to the European game with tremendous ease, and should get significant minutes for Canada this camp. 

Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC 

The Nashville winger is playing his best football of the season coming into this camp. Getting consistent minutes over the past four league matches, he scored his third goal of the season in a 3-2 loss to Orlando City on September 20. He also assisted the opener in Nashville’s 2-1 US Open Cup final win over Austin FC. 

 

Forwards 

Jonathan David, Juventus FC 

It is fair to say the start of David’s time at Juventus hasn’t gone to plan. He has made headlines for all the wrong reasons for missed opportunities in front of goal as the Italian giants have struggled with five straight draws in all competitions. Rejoining the national team could be a welcome chance for David to regain his form in a new environment away from the noise of Turin. 

Promise David, Union Saint Gilloise

The performances have been a little bit inconsistent from the 23-year-old this season, but the goals have still been there for Canada’s most in-form striker. He scored the opening goal of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League against PSV Eindhoven. He then scored in consecutive weeks in the league, against Genk and KVC Westerlo. He already has five goals on the season. 

Cyle Larin, Feyenoord

Taking some time to get acclimatized with his new surroundings in the Netherlands, Larin has made four short appearances off the bench for Feyenoord. This weekend, however, he made them count as he assisted on the match-winner against Utrecht, his first goal contribution since being loaned to the Dutch club. 

Tani Oluwaseyi, Villarreal 

Oluwaseyi is another player who has rather impressively gotten up to speed since making a move this summer to Spain. He earned an assist on the winner in a 2-1 victory over Osasuna on September 20, before scoring against Sevilla three days later. While he still could use a little more composure in front of goal, the number of chances he is creating for himself at the highest level is an incredibly positive sign both for club and country.