Jonathan David’s early goal gave Canada a 1-0 friendly victory over Chile at BMO Field on Saturday night. The win marked a positive start to a new four-year cycle for the national team.
David, wearing the captain’s armband, scored in the 12th minute. The move started with Ralph Priso’s long ball to Jacob Shaffelburg, whose cross found Cyle Larin. Chilean keeper Christian Bravo saved Larin’s shot, but David was there to tap in the rebound with his left foot.
After scoring, David held up a No. 13 jersey in support of injured defender Derek Cornelius. Cornelius missed the match with a hip injury sustained in training earlier in the week.
How the match unfolded
Chile’s task became harder when Lucas Cepeda was sent off in the 35th minute after his boot caught Richie Laryea near the eyebrow. Laryea needed treatment but played on. Gabriel Suazo received a second yellow card four minutes into the second half, reducing Chile to nine men.
Despite the numerical advantage, Canada could not add to their lead. Dayne St. Clair preserved the clean sheet, with his most notable moment coming when he was caught out of his area, only for Jonathan Villagra to fire over from distance.
Substitute Jovan Ivanisevic made his national team debut in the 62nd minute. The match also served as a farewell for Junior Hoilett, who came on in the 76th minute for his final international appearance after an 11-year run.
What was said after the game
Cyle Larin described the atmosphere. “It felt amazing,” Larin said. “We started off fast in the game and we were able to get one early.”
Midfielder Mathieu Choiniere highlighted the occasion. “We wanted to come back here in Toronto after the World Cup to say thank you to the fans,” Choiniere said.
The result follows a 1-0 win over South Africa in the World Cup knockout stage and a 3-0 loss to Morocco in July. Canada now sits second in their World Cup qualifying group with four points from three games. The team’s current standings position keeps them firmly in the hunt for a 2030 World Cup spot.
This story first appeared at Sportsnet Soccer
