TORONTO — When does a draw feel like a win?
For the Canadian men’s team, it’s when they are reduced to 10 men early in a tightly contested international friendly yet still find a way to come out even against one of the top nations from South America.
Canada was forced to play a man short against Ecuador for the majority of Thursday’s contest at BMO Field that ended in a 0-0 stalemate after Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ali Ahmed was red carded in the sixth minute. The result means Canada is now winless in three games, and it extended the team’s goal drought to 319 consecutive minutes, a streak that dates back to September’s international window.
However, Jesse Marsch said he was “incredibly positive (about) this performance,” and talked like a coach who just witnessed his side earn a hard-fought victory.
“I said to the team that maybe it’s not our best win (it was a draw) but it might be our most important. Because of the intelligence and the maturity and the savviness and the understanding of how to handle a good opponent, how to stay concentrated in the match for over 90 minutes of being a man down,” Marsch told reporters in the post-game press conference.
It’s easy to forgive Marsch for thinking his team beat World Cup-bound Ecuador on this night, rather than settling for a share of the spoils on offer.
There was a lot to like about Canada’s display against a nation that is 23rd in the current FIFA world rankings, five spots above Marsch’s men. Topping the list of positives was the way the Canadians held their nerve, dug deep and didn’t let the game slip away from them after Ahmed was given his marching orders.
“You know the guy beside you is going to go to war for you,” Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair said.
It was a disastrous start for the hosts thanks to Ahmed’s expulsion which came after he caught Ecuadorian midfielder Alan Franco in the shoulder with a high foot while contesting a 50/50 ball inside the visitors’ half. Franco sold it by going down in a heap while holding his chest, but it was a needless and reckless foul from Ahmed who deserved to be sent off by Mexican referee Fernando Hernandez.
Not surprisingly, the visitors carried the bulk of play and dominated possession (74 per cent) thanks to their numerical advantage. But the South Americans managed just four shots in the game, none of which were on target, as they were unable to get in behind Canada’s well-organized back line.
Under normal circumstances, centre backs Joel Waterman and Kamal Miller are not starters for Canada. They’re depth pieces at best. However, a rash of injuries forced them into duty against the Ecuadorians and the unlikely duo rose to the occasion. Waterman covered a lot of ground, made a number of time clearances, and was commanding in the air, while Miller more than held his own in a back line that bent without breaking.
“I didn’t let them know who was going to be the centre back pairing until 3:30 this afternoon. So, they had to stay prepared and be ready for whatever decision was made. And everybody was very concentrated, disciplined. … (I’m) really happy with those guys,” Marsch enthused.
Playing a man down isn’t easy for any team. It’s even tougher when you’re trying to conjure scoring chances against an Ecuadorian side that’s known for its defensive prowess. La Tricolor only conceded five goals in the marathon South American qualifiers to punch their ticket for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and they arrived in Toronto on the back of a 13-game unbeaten streak with 10 clean sheets during that run.
But even after the South Americans went up a man, it was Canada who looked more dangerous going forward and who had the best scoring chance of the game in the first half.
Franco misjudged a fabulous high ball played out from the back by Kamal Miller which allowed Richie Laryea to streak down the left before centring the ball for Tani Oluwaseyi inside the penalty area. The Villarreal forward hit a first-time shot from 10 yards that looked destined for the back of the net, but goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez made himself big and came up with a fabulous save.
“It’s always hard (to score) when you’re down a man for 90 plus minutes. But I thought the chance we created with Tani was really good. We’ve got goals in us. I’m really not worried about that. I’m so happy to see that we’re such a strong defensive and tactically and conceptually very strong team,” Marsch stated.
This was an ill-tempered contest that threatened to boil over a number of times, mostly due to Ecuador’s chicanery which included playacting and shameless attempts to bait Canada after the whistle was blown.
To their great credit, the Canadians remained disciplined and didn’t allow themselves to get dragged down into the gutter by their South American opponents. Being able to maintain composure like that in such difficult circumstances will come in handy for Canada at next summer’s World Cup when the stakes and the pressure are considerably higher.
“I think it’s an unbelievable performance from the guys. Obviously, we want to have more of the ball at home. But (under the circumstances), we treated that match like a World Cup game, and anything can happen in a group stage or a knockout, and we got to be prepared for everything. I think it’s a great lesson for the guys,” Miller said.
There were also standout efforts from Laryea and midfielder Stephen Eustáquio, who best embodied Canada’s resolute attitude and physical robustness on the night.
Eustáquio put in a solid shift on both sides of the ball, acting both as Canada’s creative fulcrum and its defensive linchpin in central midfield.
If Laryea were in the NHL, he’d be known as a pest — the type of player who can get under the skin of opponents. The fullback was his combative best against Ecuador on Thursday, while also defending with aggression and purpose.
“His personality (is) such a huge part of who we are. … He is really, really important for us,” Marsch stated.
Editor’s note
John Molinaro is one of the leading soccer journalists in Canada, having covered the game for over 20 years for several media outlets, including Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is currently the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, a website dedicated to in-depth coverage of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer.
