Coming into this match against 23rd ranked Ecuador in preparation for a World Cup on home soil in less than seven months, Canada senior men’s soccer team coach Jesse Marsch wanted his team to show some growth from an Oct. 10 defeat at the hands of Australia in Montreal.

He felt the team was a bit too eager to put on a show for the Montreal faithful and that added to the pressure of wanting to do really well. Thursday night at BMO Field represented Canada’s last home match of 2025, one which saw 27,840 in attendance.

Ali Ahmed, playing in front of his hometown crowd, was perhaps too excited to heed his coach’s message and was sent off in the sixth minute for a challenge that was both naive and reckless. It was an early test that even Marsch was looking like he might fail. Irate at the referee’s decision, Marsch threw the ball at him in frustration and it was captain Stephen Eustaquio who came over and calmed him down with just a few words.

“Don’t worry, Jess,” Eustaquio told his coach. “We got this.”

What followed was a tremendous show of resilience and character to come away with a sturdy 0-0 draw in which Ecuador failed to register a single shot on target. Richie Laryea was at the heart of the performance but all throughout the team was an endless endeavour to persevere. Canada even came away with arguably the best chance of the match but Tani Oluwaseyi failed to convert.

“I think we used it [red card] perfectly,” Marsch said. “That’s why I say this might be our most important game that we’ve played, even thought it’s just nil-nil. Really, really developed more confidence in the maturity of who we are.”

Canada men’s soccer drawing inspiration from Blue Jays

Resilience from a team written off by outsiders has been a theme in Canada over the past few months, the Toronto Blue Jays taking the nation on an enthralling ride that has left fans wanting even more.

Ahmed, currently playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps at club level, was among many on the Canada soccer team being fans like everybody else and cheering on the Blue Jays. The heartbreaking ending was felt deeply nationwide, but Ahmed couldn’t help but feel inspired by how he saw the whole country rally around its baseball team.

“The buzz in the city, the buzz in the country was ridiculous,” Ahmed said. “Some teammates were waking up [at] 4 a.m. in Europe watching the games…

“It puts pictures in your head of what it could be like at the World Cup. Toronto is an electric sports city and the whole country, to be honest. We want to try and do the same thing the Blue Jays were doing.”

Marsch, born and raised in Wisconsin, has been living in Tuscany, Italy, and was among those setting the alarm for well before it’s bright to cheer on the Blue Jays. He had never woken up that early to watch a sport that wasn’t soccer prior to the Jays. Marsch took note of the culture that team had built, the genuine care the players had for each other, the next-man-up mentality and resilience they imbued game after game.

Marsch has come to learn and appreciate the intricacies that makes Canada and Canadians special over the one-and-a-half years in charge of the national team.

“There’s a uniqueness to the humility, work ethic, the commitment to being a part of something,” Marsch said when speaking on TSN podcast Film Never Lies. “Canadians are special this way.”

Marsch believes World Cup at home will ‘electrify country’

What Marsch has been trying to add to his group that he hopes will stir up its own movement with Canadian fans is greater belief in what they have within themselves, perhaps even a bit of the arrogance that Americans are more renowned for. Like a typical American, Marsch pulled no punches on what he believes the Canada men’s soccer team can achieve with its share of wins at the World Cup.

“I believe that the World Cup at home, in Canada, will be even bigger [than the World Series],” Marsch said. “I can tell you right now that is exactly what this national team will be about. And it will electrify this country.”

During Marsch’s reign as manager, Canada has risen from 49th to an all-time high of 28th. The highlight of Marsch’s tenure has been a run to the semifinals of the prestigious Copa America, a captivating campaign brought to an end by reigning world champions Argentina and Lionel Messi.

In recent matches, the team has gone to Wales and won on a feisty night in Swansea featuring eight yellow cards, gone to Romania and upset the home supporters with a rousing 3-0 victory.

Last month, with a crowd in New Jersey heavily in support of Colombia, Canada held its own to draw with the 13th ranked side in the world.

Get on board with the movement

Beyond the results, there are moments that can rally a crowd and a nation.

In this match against Ecuador, it was Laryea refusing to back down any time an Ecuadorian player tried play the role of bully. Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo, currently looking like one of the top central midfielders in the world, looked to intimidate after a foul, perhaps pretend that Canadians are still nobodies in the world’s most popular sport.

Laryea looked him right in the eye and showed this is a Canadian side that can give as good as it gets. The 30-year-old playing in front of his hometown was already warmed up, having previously shoved another Ecuadorian John Yeboah to the ground for getting a bit too cheeky.

It was Caicedo who later couldn’t keep his emotions in check, receiving a yellow card when he tried to instigate matters once again. Laryea, meanwhile, hustled and bustled to all ends of the pitch to not only create chances but keep Ecuador’s attack at bay as well.

In this sport, there are draws that can feel like wins and others like losses. Down to 10 men with nearly the full match to be played, Marsch was proud of how his team made this performance feel like a win.

Venezuela will follow next Tuesday in Florida and then the players will return to their club duties until March. Alphonso Davies, Canada’s Bayern Munich superstar currently recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee, is expected to return by then and a team that has been less than full strength for much of this journey to a second consecutive World Cup will have more talent to match its burgeoning mettle.

“I have no doubt that this team will be ready to really make history and to do something very special,” Marsch said. “If you’re not on board yet and if you’re not feeling the excitement yet, it’s time. It’s time to get on board… It’s time to understand that there’s a movement happening.”