September 9 – Overlooked for the USA coaching job, Jesse Marsch had the last laugh on Saturday as his Canada team ended 67 years of failure on American soil with a 2-1 friendly win.
Canada’s last away success over the Americans was in July 1957, a 3-2 World Cup qualifying victory in St. Louis. The Canadian men had gone 23 consecutive winless games against the U.S. in America since then, but outclassed their opposition on Saturday.
“We were on the front foot the whole match,” said Marsch.
“We were strong. We were committed and [they] made me proud. Made me proud to be their coach, that’s for sure.”
It was the Canadians’ first outing since a fourth-place finish at Copa America while the USA continues to struggle, slumping to a third straight defeat for the first time since 2015.
Mikey Varas was put in interim charge after Gregg Berhalter was fired in July in the wake of the Americans’ early exit from Copa America but the widely reported appointment of former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino to become the permanent coach can clearly not come soon enough.
Marsch, a former U.S. international, made it clear after Saturday’s game that he landed in the right place.
“I’d much rather coach Canada than the U.S… Wouldn’t change coaching this team right now for anything in the world,” he declared.
Meanwhile, US women’s football said goodbye to international legend Alex Morgan on Sunday as she made her farewell appearance after 15 years.
The two-time Women’s World Cup winner announced on Thursday she was pregnant with her second child and was retiring from the game.
She wore the captain’s armband for the San Diego Wave in her final match, playing for the first 13 minutes against the North Carolina Courage.
“I did everything I ever wanted to do and more. With this decision, I feel so at peace because I am ready to start my family and I am ready to hang up the boots and allow the next generation to flourish and just relish in the spotlight,” she said afterward.
“Twelve thousand tickets were sold in one day when she announced that this was going to be her last game,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “That’s the power of Alex Morgan.”
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