The U.S. men's national soccer team defeated Canada 1-0 in an international friendly in St. Paul, Minnesota, closing its first international break since the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an undefeated run under manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Justin Ellis, a 19-year-old forward from Florida who plays for Orlando City SC in Major League Soccer, scored the only goal in the 29th minute, finishing a cross from World Cup standout Alex Freeman. It was Ellis's second goal of the friendly stretch, following a free-kick strike in his debut against Peru.
The win over Canada came without Christian Pulisic, the team's leading attacker, who continues to rehabilitate a bone bruise and microfracture suffered in the Round of 16 loss to Belgium on home soil during the World Cup. Other players stepped up against a Canadian side that advanced out of Group B and into the knockout stages this summer.
Ellis's emergence has drawn attention beyond the scoreline. He was called up for friendlies against Peru, Chile and Mexico before the Canada match, and Uruguay head coach Diego Forlán visited him the week before the game. Ellis is eligible to represent Uruguay through his mother, adding a layer of international intrigue to his rapid rise. He has been described as a complete striker and could become a key figure as the USMNT looks ahead to the 2030 World Cup.
Before facing Canada, the U.S. handled its other friendly opponents in dominant fashion. The team beat Peru 4-1, then defeated Chile 4-2 and Mexico 3-0. The players will now return to their respective clubs around the world with positive momentum as Pochettino's development project continues.
The result adds another chapter to a year of American victories over Canada across multiple sports. The U.S. won gold in both men's and women's ice hockey at the Winter Olympics, and the baseball team beat Canada 5-3 in the group stage of the World Baseball Classic about a month after that gold-medal run. The soccer win, though only a friendly, extends the pattern on the field and gives the U.S. another bragging right over its northern rival.
For Pochettino, the match offered a final look at a squad in transition before players scatter to club duties. The absence of Pulisic put added emphasis on younger contributors, and Ellis answered with the decisive moment. Canada, meanwhile, leaves the friendly with a loss but remains a competitive side that proved difficult to break down for much of the night.
The U.S. will next regroup for future international windows, with the 2030 World Cup cycle already in view. For now, the team can point to an unbeaten break, a shutout against a regional rival and the continued development of a teenager who may soon become a regular name in the starting lineup.