MATCH PREVIEW: CanMNT look to build crucial momentum in Tuesday's test vs. Wales

After their biggest-ever win on European soil this past Friday, 3-0 over Romania, the Canadian men’s national team look to carry that momentum into Swansea on Tuesday for a match against Wales. 

The clash pits two nations who are very close in the FIFA rankings, with Canada in 28th, and Wales just three spots below in 31st. Kickoff is 2:45 p.m. ET / 11:45 a.m. PT on OneSoccer and TSN. 

Canada have only won back-to-back games in the same window once under Jesse Marsch, in November 2024 against Suriname. Doing so against solid European opposition, who are playing on their home soil no less, would be a big statement about this team and its ability to consistently play at its best. 

“We are incredibly excited after a good performance against Romania to show that wasn’t a fluke,” Marsch told media on Monday. “That we are a good team, that we’re establishing a lot of really positive things, and that we are building towards a home World Cup in ways that can make us history makers. That’s our goal.” 

Wales are coming off an important 1-0 win in World Cup qualifiers away to Kazakhstan on Thursday on a goal by Wrexham striker Kieffer Moore. Wales currently sit third in Group J in UEFA World Cup qualifying – in a tightly contested race at the top with Belgium and North Macedonia. 

They will, however, come into Tuesday’s match having faced significant travel as Astana is nearly 5,000 kilometres away from Swansea. Canada, meanwhile, will have needed to travel less than half that distance from Bucharest. As a result, there is a strong possibility of rotation to Wales’ squad, including some of their key players like Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson and Nottingham Forest’s Neco Williams. Wales, however, have made it clear that they aren’t treating this match like a friendly. 

There are a lot of youngsters in the Welsh camp who could be given an opportunity as well,  with six players called up who are 20 years of age or younger, and the likes of Cardiff City duo Joel Colwill (20) and Ronan Kpakio (18) awaiting their senior international debuts. Their 19-year-old teammate Dylan Lawlor performed well in his international debut against Kazakhstan. 

RELATED: What should the CanMNT expect from Romania, Wales in September friendlies?

Wales are currently coached by Welsh legend, and former Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham striker Craig Bellamy. Since taking over on July 9, 2024, Wales have lost just once, a 4-3 thriller against Belgium in June. He helped them earn promotion to League A of the UEFA Nations League with an undefeated 3-3-0 record. 

Under Bellamy, Wales have looked to play a more possession-based brand of football. This will create a good challenge for Canada on Tuesday, especially playing in front of what is expected to be a boisterous crowd at Swansea.com Stadium. 

Canada and Wales have met just three times in international competition, all in friendlies. Canada have won once, Wales twice.The most recent meeting came back on May 30, 2004 at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham, a 1-0 victory for Wales. 

Despite this being a two-game window, there isn’t a significant amount of rotation expected from this Canadian side, as Jesse Marsch homes in on his best eleven. One forced change, however, will be in midfield as Stephen Eustáquio has returned to Porto for further assessment following a minor injury he suffered against Romania. 

Marsch told media that Ismaël Koné will once again start in midfield after a solid performance against Romania, despite a heated moment between player and manager after the 23-year-old midfielder was subbed out of that match. They have since both expressed a desire to learn from the incident, and move on as a united front – speaking to media side-by-side on Monday. 

“I spoke with my teammates, I spoke with my coach, and the coaches know how I appreciate them, and this is something that was just out of frustration,” said Koné to media on Monday. “I made sure to tell them that it will never happen again.” 

Who starts beside Koné will be one of the biggest lineup question marks heading into this match for Canada. 

In goal, Dayne St. Clair was always slated to start this match as he continues to split the net with Max Crépeau – who kept a clean sheet against Romania. That is further cemented by the fact that Crépeau will not be part of the squad on Tuesday for precautionary reasons after taking a shot to the face while making an outstanding stop on Denis Drǎgus against Romania.

Tom McGill has been called up to take Crépeau’s place, with Atlanta United’s Jayden Hibbert the third goalkeeper already in camp. 

After a near-perfect performance against Romania, can Canada follow that up with another strong showing against a solid European opponent? Tuesday’s game provides a clear opportunity pto end this window on a high and continue to gain crucial momentum toward 2026.

PROJECTED LINEUPS

Canada: St. Clair; Sigur, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Shaffelburg, Koné, Choinière, Buchanan; Oluwaseyi, J. David 

Wales: Darlow; Williams, Mepham, Lawlor, B. Davies; Cullen, Sheehan, Brooks; Thomas, Moore, James 

ALL-TIME SERIES

Canada wins: 1 | Wales wins: 2 | Draws: 0 

Last meeting: May 30, 2004 – Wales 1-0 Canada 

KEY QUOTES

"I think first that Craig [Bellamy] has built a clear style of play with this team. And there’s a lot of influences from Man City, from Brighton, from Pep [Guardiola] football, which is about possession and about positional play and rotations, and trying to unbalance the opponent through the way that he passes the ball. He said that this is the perfect challenge for them, and we think this is a perfect challenge for us. " — Canada head coach Jesse Marsch

"Obviously, there’s stuff you can progress, but I think the way we started that game [against Romania] is the way we should start every game. Push on them. I think we also knew when to press, when to play forward and when to keep it, and I think we were just more vocal." — Canada midfielder Ismaël Koné