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12 hours ago
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By the time Jesse Marsch finally brought a close to proceedings, the March international window was two minutes away from breaking into April.
Tuesday in Toronto had been “odd” according to Canada’s head coach. It was an afternoon when the four-month wait to discover their opening World Cup opponents went as long as it possibly could. Canada players had to go mobile, taking their playoff watch party to the coach journey to BMO Field for that night’s friendly with Tunisia as, back in Zenica, Bosnia and Italy prepared for penalties.
A subsequent lightning delay meant they needn’t have bothered with punctuality. Their game wouldn’t finish until 11pm, which led to Marsch’s post-match offerings stretching almost into a new month. But the day, and the final pre-tournament window, had brought clarity for Canada. Not all of it was comfortable.
Bosnian energy awaits
Even the most reluctant cliché merchants couldn’t avoid seeing the sluicing sheets of rain which descended on Toronto as a city with nearly half a million Italian-Canadians weeping over yet another Azzurri calamity.
Since Wayne Gretzky had pulled the possibility of a Canada-Italy opener out of a bowl at December’s draw, that scenario has occupied heads here. Sometimes, a little too much. Marsch felt obliged to apologize for a Monday quip that “if it’s Italy, man, we should be ripping those blue jerseys [off Italian-Canadians] and burning them.”
There will be clusters of contrast among the red in Toronto on 12 June but it will instead be Bosnian Imperial Blue. Swerving the 12th-ranked team in the world to instead face the 65th has to count as good fortune. Progress and even topping Group B is now the talk in Toronto.
Yet what Marsch and his players saw through phones on the team bus was an opponent that shapes to be extremely tricky. Bosnia’s relentless mid-press exploited Italy and their tactical clarity never wavered through 120 minutes which produced 30 shots and dozens of crosses.
The prospect of an ageless Edin Džeko arriving determined to make one last mark increases Canadian desperation to get defensive colossus Moïse Bombito back from injury. The younger verve and incision of Esmir Bajraktarević and Kerim Alajbegović causes concern too. Marsch has put such a premium on energy during his Canadian tenure but it’s Bosnia’s calling card too, as is spirit.
“These kids grew up in a war-torn country,” said Marsch, who coached Amar Dedić at Salzburg. “[They] have been through a lot in life, and it really served them well in the last week.”
Blunt attack the biggest concern
Bombito was at least back among his teammates this week. A return with Nice may be weeks away now. Against Iceland and Tunisia, Marsch was given a jarring reminder that defensive depth is lacking. With Bombito and Alfie Jones out, and neither Derek Cornelius nor Luc de Fougerolles fit to start, MLS pair Joel Waterman and Kamal Miller showed ill-timed jitters. Miller, who started all three games at Qatar 2022, endured a particularly rough few days.
If those multiple absences excuse some issues on the defensive end, up front Marsch had most of his weapons and again found them worryingly blunt. Two Jonathan David penalties were the only imprint on the scoreboard over two games as both Cyle Larin and Tani Oluwaseyi failed to lead the line to any great, galvanizing effect.
Veteran Larin has been reborn at Southampton but last scored for Canada in October 2024, the only goal in his last 22 caps. Villarreal’s Oluwaseyi has just two in 22 total caps.
What compounds this is goals aren’t coming from elsewhere: Marsch’s side has failed to score from open play in six of their last seven. Trying to build hype for the Toronto opener, they’ve instead served up three 0-0 in their last four here.
“We would have liked to score more,” said Marsch. “But we’re creating chances, we’re dangerous throughout games and we’re playing against good opponents.” Fair. But better opponents – and better defenses – await come June.
Flores flourishes in an instant
Through the downpours there was light. Marcelo Flores’ switch from Mexico was a saga but has been resolved right on time. The tiny winger gives Canada something significantly different. When the attack clicked both Saturday and Tuesday it was usually as a result of his mezmerising dribbles or pivots and prods.
The Tigres 22-year-old, with his cornrows dyed red for the occasion, looked every inch a World Cup bolter who can make an instant impact.
With such importance placed on strikers pressing from the front, Marsch appears allergic to removing David from his role as creative second striker. Yet Flores’s impact has already sparked a clamor to push the Juventus man all the way up top and deploy Flores behind. Pre-tournament tests against Uzbekistan and Ireland do offer Marsch that opportunity.
Urgent returns on big calls
Almost midnight, the final question put to Marsch was the most lingering: who’ll wear No 1 on 12 June? He’s cycled between Max Crepeau and Dayne St Clair for two years now. He tried to duck it for another few weeks. Both being consistently healthy hasn’t helped the coach.
Injuries will occupy so much of Marsch’s thoughts as he prepares for big calls between now and mid-May, when he assembles his provisional panel for warm-weather training in North Carolina.
Captain Alphonso Davies, vice Steph Eustaquio and Celtic’s Alistair Johnston are all due back soon. This week has proven Bombito is the big one but there’s another. Prolific Union SG frontman Promise David is in a razor-thin race to recover from hip surgery by June. With goals so lacking, why not give him time?
“The squad in general we’re zoned in on what it will look like, if everyone is healthy,” Marsch said. “But Max and Dayne? Woof, I’m not sure. It’s as close as it’s always been.”
Predicted Squad
Goalkeepers Dayne St Clair, Maxime Crépeau, Owen Goodman.
Defenders Moise Bombito, Derek Cornelius, Luc de Fougerolles, Joel Waterman, Alistair Johnston, Niko Sigur, Richie Laryea, Alphonso Davies
Midfielders Steph Eustaquio, Ismael Kone, Mathieu Choiniere, Nathan Saliba, Jonathan Osorio, Tajon Buchanan, Ali Ahmed, Liam Millar, Marcelo Flores, Jacob Shaffelburg
Forwards Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tani Oluwaseyi, Daniel Jebbison, Promise David
