Marsch sees plenty of positives in Canada’s Copa America campaign but says more work needed

Seven games into his tenure arsenic Canada coach, Jesse Marsch sees plentifulness of positives.

“Incredible strides,” he summed up. “But there’s still a batch to do … We’re establishing things astatine immoderate precocious levels but successful bid to beryllium a existent squad that tin clasp up to nan biggest moments and biggest matches, there’s much activity to beryllium done. But surely we’re connected a bully path.”

That way takes nan squad to Charlotte, N.C., connected Saturday for nan Copa America third-place crippled against No. 14 Uruguay, which mislaid 1-0 to No. 12 Colombia successful Wednesday’s semifinal.

Colombia will look No. 1 Argentina successful Sunday’s title crippled astatine Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami Gardens, Fla.

The 48th-ranked Canadians are looking for a podium decorativeness successful their first Copa America quality aft losing 2-0 to Argentina successful semifinal play Tuesday astatine MetLife Stadium successful East Rutherford, N.J.

Named Canada coach connected May 13, Marsch landed successful nan heavy extremity pinch friendlies against No. 2 France and nan seventh-ranked Netherlands earlier facing Argentina (twice), No. 40 Peru, No. 31 Chile and No. 54 Venezuela.

The Canadian men person gone 1-3-3 against that opposition, pinch 1 of those draws turning into a punishment shootout triumph (over Venezuela successful nan Copa quarterfinal).

In contrast, John Herdman’s first 7 games arsenic Canada coach aft taking complete successful January 2018 were against No. 120 New Zealand, nan 199th-ranked U.S. Virgin Islands, No. 177 Dominica, No. 133 St. Kitts and Nevis, unranked French Guiana and Martinique, and No. 18 Mexico (all rankings astatine nan clip of nan matches).

Canada’s existent deficiency of objective finishing is an issue, pinch conscionable 2 goals successful 5 Copa games. And March acknowledged Canada could person made life easier connected itself – and allowed him to spell to his chair earlier and much often – if it had scored more.

“We person to do amended there,” he said, citing 14 “big chances missed” astatine nan tournament.

“We person large talent and immoderate awesome goal-scorers And I cognize we will proceed to create that … But nan truth that we are getting large chances, nan truth that we are still successful nan game, playing nan measurement that we want to play, committing to each nan things, that we want, successful nan extremity that’s what will lead america to beryllium much effective, much efficient, clearer, to person much crippled power — each of those things.

“So large in installments aft 5 weeks, against these opponents, for these guys to execute for illustration this. And moreover though we didn’t execute everything perfectly, clearly, intelligibly we’re connected a bully path. Clearly.”

Copa America has been gruelling successful nan summertime power pinch recreation taking nan Canadians from Atlanta to Kansas City, Orlando, Arlington, Texas, and East Rutherford earlier Saturday’s finale successful Charlotte.

After sticking pinch a halfway group of players for nan tournament, Marsch said he planned to excavation into his roster for Saturday’s game, noting “we intelligibly ran retired of legs (against Argentina).”

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Marsh said Luc de Fougerolles, an 18-year-old defender pinch England’s Fulham, could make his debut Saturday.

“He’s been 1 of nan champion performers successful camp,” said nan 50-year-old American.

The Canada coach besides had affirmative news astir skipper Alphonso Davies, who hobbled disconnected nan transportation successful nan 71st infinitesimal Tuesday aft a difficult Argentine challenge.

An X-ray proved negative.

“Whether he’ll beryllium disposable for Saturday nighttime it’s excessively early to say,” Marsch added.

The Canadian capacity astatine nan tourney has drawn attention.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, possibly Canada’s champion subordinate Tuesday, has near England’s Watford for nan French apical tier pinch Marseille. Centre backs Moise Bombito (Colorado Rapids) and Derek Cornelius (Malmo, Sweden) person reportedly been targeted by different clubs.

Striker Jonathan David (Lille, France) continues to beryllium linked pinch a number of English clubs while Davies’ early pinch Bayern Munich remains up successful nan air, pinch reported liking from Real Madrid.

Canada will besides emergence successful nan FIFA rankings.

Widening nan talent excavation remains an objective, pinch Marsch saying he planned to return successful Forge FC’s CPL crippled against visiting Pacific FC connected Sunday. Young talent has to beryllium challenged astatine an earlier property and developed faster, he said.

“We’ve sewage to find a measurement to request much retired of nan young players. And erstwhile I opportunity young, I mean for illustration 14, 15, 16, not 24 25, 26 … We really person nan athletes successful this country. We do. But we request to now create them successful a measurement wherever they understand high-level football.”

Canada has mislaid some erstwhile matches pinch Uruguay, astir precocious falling 2-0 successful September 2022 successful Bratislava successful a warm-up for nan World Cup successful Qatar. Uruguay won 3-1 erstwhile they met successful February 1986 astatine nan six-team Miami Cup, a tune-up for nan World Cup successful Mexico.