Canada and the United States may be disappointed to be playing in the third place game of the Concacaf Nations League instead of the final, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty on the line for Mauricio Pochettino and Jesse Marsch. The two managers will have a great chance to show improvement from their losses while still facing strong opposition, something that could be hard to find in the lead up to the 2026 World Cup with both nations not taking part in World Cup qualifying.
While a trophy won’t be on the line, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be a reason for these sides to give the match their all. Performances in every game will be critical for players looking to prove themselves worthy of a World Cup roster spot, especially with some players being unavailable for the Gold Cup in the summer due to Club World Cup duties.
These two sides faced each other twice in 2023 with the United States winning one match and drawing the other, and then once in 2024 with Canada winning a friendly. Without Antonee Robinson available this will be a tougher task for the USMNT, but these are just the challenges that show who is fit for Pochettino’s squad.
Here’s our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
Mauricio Pochettino breaks down USMNT’s loss to Panama with Canada up next: ‘We expect more from everyone’
Pardeep Cattry
How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, March 23 | Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Location: SoFi Stadium — Inglewood, California
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Canada +225; Draw +230; USMNT +114
Storylines
USMNT: After failing to convert their chances against Panama, the USMNT will need to play on the front foot or Canadian attackers will make them pay. Pochettino’s attack was crying out for an attacker, with the manager saying on Saturday that, “The problem was this lack of [scoring]. I think the discipline was there. The game plan, I think they followed the game plan. They tried to do everything. I cannot complain about not trying – they tried. They ran, made the effort, but after, it’s about being really aggressive and competitive.”
Getting a player in the lineup that could take defenses on via dribbling is where Diego Luna or Gio Reyna could be needed to face Canada, but which one will depend on how training has gone so far. Given that Reyna is struggling for playing time at Dortmund he does still have to prove that he belongs in the XI in his first camp under Pochettino, and whether it’s him or somebody else, unlocking a new dimension for the USMNT attack will be crucial.
USMNT predicted XI: Matt Turner, Max Arftsen, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Joe Scally, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Diego Luna, Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah
Canada: While Canada have been performing like one of Concacaf’s best teams, defeating the United States is critical for them to truly be treated like one of the best in the region. Like the USMNT, most of their top players are now in major European leagues, but these matches are critical because after struggling at the 2022 World Cup, it’s up to Marsch to show that this time will be different. If Canada can build on a strong showing at the Copa America by defeating the United States, it could truly begin to signal a shift in power.
Canada predicted XI: Dayne St. Clair, Alphonso Davies, Derek Cornelius, Moise Bombito, Alistair Johnston, Ismael Kone, Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Jonathan David, Ali Ahmed, Cyle Larin
Prediction
In a close fought match, depth will work in the USMNT’s favor as they’ll have just enough in the tank to win this one late. Pick: USMNT 2, Canada 1
