Jesse Marsh wants to see more from Canada’s men’s soccer team.
While the coach liked much of what the squad showed in their first games since the World Cup this summer, he said the group still had a lot of work to do at the end of the international window.
“My message to the team was that the performance was good. It was like pushing towards seven-and-a-half, maybe eight, wasn’t it?” The march came after the Canadiens played in St. Louis, Minn., on Tuesday. He said after losing 1-0 to the United States in a friendly match held in Paul.
“I don’t want to be too critical because I think there are a lot of good things going on. You just want to see a team on the pitch that is more determined and ready to embrace the moment. And we’re not quite there yet.”
It was a historic year for Marsh and his team.
Canada picked up their first men’s World Cup win after defeating Qatar 6-0 in Vancouver, followed by a 1-0 win over South Africa in the tournament’s play-offs. The storybook ended with a 3-0 victory for Morocco in the round of 16.
Several Canadians performed throughout the tournament earning them major promotions, with striker Promise David heading to Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Premier League, midfielder Nathan Saliba moving to La Liga club Villareal in Spain and vice-captain Stephen Eustaquio signing with the English Championship.
Marsh has called up 17 athletes who wore the Maple Leaf during their World Cup run and nine to the national team camp for three friendlies.
The Canadians beat Chile 1-0 in Toronto on Sept. 26 and then beat Peru 2-0 in Montreal on Saturday.
Tuesday’s tilt with the U.S. at Allianz Field was billed as a measuring stick matchup, an opportunity for Canada to see where it can still grow.
The visitors had some early chances, including a pair of strikes from winger Jakob Schafflburg in the 16th minute, but were unable to finish.
“I thought we controlled most of the match,” Marsch said. “We just couldn’t convert our good play and organization into enough chances and goals.”
America’s offense suffered a blow in the 20th minute when Justin Ellis went down after a collision with Eustaquio.
Ellis, a 19-year-old Orlando City SC talent, was on the ground for several minutes holding his right leg before getting up and walking off the field. He returned to the game after a few minutes.
The USA had their first real chance of the night in the 29th minute when Alex Freeman hit the corner of the six-yard box and Ellis swooped in to put the ball in the back of the Canadian net for a 1-0 lead.
“It’s their first time down the field and they’re scoring,” Marsh said. “And look, they put together a good game. We don’t think we defended it well enough.”
More bad news came for the Canadians 11 minutes later when Eustaquio fell to the turf following a challenge from Gio Reyna. The Swansea midfielder picked up an upper-body injury in the game but stayed on temporarily before Marsh replaced him at half-time with Mathieu Choiniere.
Marsh said in the postgame press conference that Eustaquio felt a “crack” in his shoulder.
Canada Soccer says the injury does not appear to be serious after Eustaquio underwent X-rays.
The 29-year-old will return to Swansea where he will be further assessed.
The native of Leamington, Ont., joined the camp late after getting married but played in all three matches during the international break, with Canada defeating Chile and Peru on home soil before falling to the Americans.
Canada struggled in the final minutes of the first half, giving up numerous opportunities off certain plays, but managed to hold a one-goal deficit heading into the locker room.
The Canadians were inches away from equalizing in the 63rd minute when defender Luc de Fugerolles collected the ball from a free kick and fired a rocket.
US goalkeeper Brian Schwack tiptoed the shot past the post.
De Fougerolles moved to Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake on loan from English Premier League side Fulham in early September and has had a solid run for Canada in three friendlies.
“We need him. He needs to become a big player now, right?” Marsh said of the 20-year-old center back.
“And I know he’s considered young. Well, Luke has been playing for us for two years now and he’s playing in the World Cup and I don’t consider him young. I consider him an important player in the team and I need him to act as a leader and an organizer and a big personality. So, the second half. [Tuesday]I think we’ve seen more of that.”
De Fougerolles is not the only player the coach has struggled to make another move.
To achieve team goals, the entire group must improve, he said.
“I told them it’s not enough to just come to the national team and work really hard and take care of each other and give each other everything,” Marsch said. “It’s about personality, understanding, acumen and managing matches.”
He added that there are not enough Canadian players.
“A lot of them go into their clubs and let other people lead, let other people speak,” Marsch said. “And I told them, just like we talked about before about strengthening the overall group and understanding what the top level looks like, now the leadership, the psychological part, the emotional part, to make sure we develop that.
“Because we can’t be seen as a group of hard workers who don’t come together enough.”
The Canadians return to action in November when they face Guatemala in a two-legged CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final.
Guatemala will play the first game on November 13 before the series shifts to Toronto on November 16.