Americans used two early goals to top Canada in Orlando

Fresh off its shocking loss to Canada, the United States men’s national team squared off against its neighbors to the north on Nov. 15 in Orlando.

A second-minute goal from Jordan Morris helped the American secure a 4-1 victory in a CONCACAF Nationals League group stage match. Gregg Berhalter’s 10th win as USMNT manager came on the heels of the program’s first loss to Canada in more than 34 years.

A match that was billed — from an American perspective — as “Pride. Passion. Payback.” from the United States Soccer Federation was dominated on the scoreboard by the home team.

“They were clinical and good on set pieces,” said Canadian manager John Herdman. “It was 12 shots to 11. Five shots on target for the U.S., three for Canada. Thirty six possession for U.S., 64 percent for Canada. …In my mind, when I look at the performance, they were bloody clinical tonight. That was the focus.

You could see that intent. They really contested in the midfield. i think they put a hell of a battle up there. In defensive transition, their attacking transition, they were lethal. They really hurt us when we had our fullbacks high. Good job to the U.S. tonight.”

Morris scored his eighth international goal, then became a provider later in the first half. The Seattle Sounders forward provided his team-leading sixth assist this year on Gyassi Zardes’ 23rd minute goal.

Canada spent the first 20 minutes repeatedly attempting long diagonals toward its left in the direction of forward Lucas Cavallini as well as fullback Alphonso Davies. After another diagonal attempt failed, the USMNT won the ball and quickly found Morris in space on the Americans’ left. Morris crossed to Zardes and the Columbus Crew forward headed the ball home from six yards away.

“We felt we could exploit them a little bit in offensive transition, that maybe they didn’t recover great,” Morris said. “And so that was a big point of emphasis going into the game, that we had to counter and do it quickly when the ball turned over. Go quick. I thought we did that well.”

The biggest offensive impact that Davies provided may have been in benefit of the hosts. The 19-year-old, who has started as a fullback for his club team Bayern Munich, needlessly committed a foul outside the American’s penalty area in the 34th minute.

USMNT captain Tim Ream curled in a free kick and center back Aaron Long headed the ball back across goal for a 3-0 advantage.

Canada’s Steven Vitoria scored in the 72nd minute; but, it was too little too late for the Canadians. Zardes scored his second goal of the match — and program-leading sixth goal of 2019 — in the 89th minute to complete the scoring.

Afterward, Ream said he had never seen as many physical battles in training as there were ahead of his 39th international match.

“We knew we failed last month, miserably, in Toronto,” Ream said.

The win was the program’s fourth straight win in the City Beautiful. The USMNT has played at Exploria Stadium thrice since the facility opened in 2017.

The United States will advance to the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals with a win over Cuba in the Cayman Islands on Nov. 19.