KEY TAKEAWAYS: Hoilett and David's magic pushes CanMNT to crucial 1-0 away win vs. Suriname in leg 1 of CNL QFs
It won’t be a game the CanMNT will look back on too fondly, but they won’t mind that, as they defeated Suriname 1-0 in leg one of their Concacaf Nations League quarter-final tie in Paramaribo, Suriname on Friday.
Given that it took Canada until the 82nd minute to find their breakthrough through Junior Hoilett, after there were several moments where it looked like they would return home empty-handed, fans will be relieved to have seen them leave with a win in the end.
So while this win might not rank highest among head coach Jesse Marsch’s preferred victories when reflecting on his team’s performance, as they looked far from the team he’s pushed them to be, all that matters for now is that they got the job done in the end.
Sometimes, that’s the most important thing in knockout football, especially when considering external factors. For a Canadian team who were without some key players in this game, were playing on the road, and were in a tough environment, those factors can’t be ignored, especially not in Concacaf.
Now, the onus will be on them to make the most of this victory. It can be easy to forget, but sometimes lost in the shuffle after the CanMNT’s loss to Jamaica in last year’s quarter-finals was that Canada had a 2-1 aggregate lead after leg 1, but then let that slip at home.
This 1-0 lead is less sturdy than the 2-1 score when factoring in away goals, so it’ll now be up to Canada to ensure they put this tie away with conviction in leg two and ensure they qualify for the semi-finals without worry.
If they do that, then this performance will be but a footnote on their journey through this competition. If not, some might wonder if they could’ve done more in this game to ensure they left Suriname with a more comfortable result.
FT - CANADA WIN 🥳🇨🇦
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) November 16, 2024
The #CanMNT grab a Leg 1 victory in Suriname thanks to Junior Hoilett’s late winner ⚽️
Despite the result, do you think Les Rouges should’ve grabbed 1 or 2 more goals? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/cYVYODf7sC
With that in mind, here are three key takeaways from this one.
Canada shows maturity to pick up crucial road win:
There’s no doubt that this performance will be one to forget for Jesse Marsch, as they certainly looked far from the team he wants them to be - they struggled to press, lacked the verticality they wanted in possession, and got stretched too much in the second half.
For a coach still looking to impose his identity on this team, that’ll be frustrating for him to see, as he’ll want to see continued growth as they push towards the 2026 World Cup.
At the same time, he’ll also be pleased with a lot of what his team showed, especially in terms of their ability to grind out a result.
They could’ve very well come up short in their quest to come up with a win, and there would’ve been excuses there for them to use - some of them valid ones, too. While Canada was favourites against Suriname given that there was a gap of 101 places between them in the FIFA Rankings, anyone who has seen Suriname play knows that gap is not reflective of the true level of that team.
So for Canada to be expected to waltz in and emerge with a comfortable 2 or 3-0 result was always going to be a tall ask, especially when you factor in that Suriname had a record of 11W-4D-2L in their last 17 home games before this match.
Naturally, given Canada’s newfound status as one of the top dogs in Concacaf, it’s expected they’d be more comfortable than they were, but it’s a good reminder of what playing away in this region can be like. In this game, the turf was less than ideal, it was hot, and Canada had to endure quite the journey just to get there - those factors all played a big role in their struggles.
But in the end, they got the job done, and that’s what matters.
It can be easy to forget, but while this was already Jesse Marsch’s 12th game in charge of this Canadian team, this was his first away day in Concacaf that wasn’t in the United States. These games are never easy, and teams around the region will tell you that - just look at Mexico, who fell 2-0 away to Honduras in leg one of their quarter-final on Friday.
So for Canada to emerge from this game with a win despite not playing to their usual standard is a good sign, showing the maturity that they have as a group. Good teams find a way to win even when not at their best, and Canada showed that they can do that.
Plus, it’s not as if Canada put in a poor performance, either.
In fact, one could argue they actually played quite well given the circumstances - they still outshot Suriname 13-2, limited their usual possession-hungry hosts to 33% of the ball and forced Suriname to complete just 69% of their passes.
And while Canada weren’t able to press as much as they would’ve liked, just the concept of their press was enough to cause Suriname worries, as they launched a whopping 68 long balls, completing just 26 of them. Instead of trying to play through Canada knowing that they could get caught on the ball, they went direct, and while that disrupted Canada’s flow a bit, that certainly seemed to impact Suriname’s flow even more.
So overall, Canada can be pleased with how they battled to earn this win, even if they weren’t at their best, as they still controlled most of this game other than a 25-minute blip to start the second half.
Would they prefer a more dominant performance going forward? No doubt, but that’ll only come as they get used to playing more of these matches under Marsch. 
David and Hoilett show the importance of playing between lines:
Quietly, Jonathan David has taken a big step in his play lately for Canada, as he’s done a good job of translating his world-class form with Lille over to the international game, and he showed that again today with a great assist on Hoilett’s winning marker.
And, fascinatingly, he’s doing so despite being asked to do different things for Canada than for Lille. Instead of being tasked with leading the line, he continues to be deployed as a #10 for Canada, one given freedom to roam and impact the game however he sees fit.
For those who watch him play with Lille, they’ll know that’s not a big departure from anything he does there - even when leading the line for Les Dogues, he’ll drop deep and combine, and can be found all over the pitch.
At the same time, it’s been an adjustment to do so as a #10 for Canada, one that took some time to make - in his first five games under Marsch, he found the net just once and had no assists, as he figured out the best way to onboard his new role while adjusting his partnership with Cyle Larin.
But then, it clicked for David, starting with an assist in Canada’s quarter-final win over Venezuela at the Copa América, and since then, he hasn’t looked back.
Now, with his assist in this game, he’s got three goals and three assists in his last six games for Canada, as he’s been both creating and finishing goals in his new role. On top of some strong overall performances, it’s been a great run for David, who has become the most important piece in Marsch’s offensive system.
Canada has now scored nine goals since Jesse Marsch took over as head coach:
— Oliver Platt (@plattoli) November 16, 2024
1. David goal
2. David assist
3. David uninvolved!
4. David goal
5. David assist
6. David goal
7. David forced turnover
8. David goal
9. David assist#CanMNT
Be it with the work he does defensively off the ball, or what he does on the ball, he seems central to everything Canada does to create goals, and he showed that in this game, one where he finished with four chances created, two shots, four passes into the final third and 54 touches in a strong all-around performance.
Jonathan David is continuing to find his feet as a #10 for the #CanMNT, as he plays a big role in another win
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) November 16, 2024
In 90' v Suriname, he had:
1 assist
4 chances created (1 big chance)
2 shots
38/44 passes (86%)
54 touches
1 dribble
4 passes into final 3rd
6 touches in box
1 long ball pic.twitter.com/p01zMP55Jk
As a result, he ended up causing all sorts of problems for Suriname’s defenders, as his ability to drift between the lines was dragging players out of position all night long.
And that ended up helping Canada score their goal, one in which he played a big role by delivering a great cross to Hoilett. Perhaps, had another player received the ball where David did, Suriname might’ve sat back a bit more, but sensing David’s threat, he ended up attracting more attention than he should’ve.
GOAL 🇨🇦
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) November 16, 2024
JUNIOR HOILETT, LET'S GO 😎#CanMNT go up 1-0 over Suriname in Leg 1 of this Concacaf Nations League quarter-finals series 💥
🔴 Watch LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/SJgS9EVSQu
When watching back the tape, the defender marking Hoilett will notice that he was guilty of watching David a bit closer than he should’ve instead of marking his runner, who cleverly capitalized on that error with his run and finish.
Yet, speaking of Hoilett, it’s fitting that he and David linked up on this play. Often, Canada has struggled to find players who can play between the lines, but Hoilett has been one of the rare names who has thrived in that sort of role in recent years.
Recently, however, Hoilett hasn’t seen the pitch much for Canada, as a mix of injuries and his club situations have limited his minutes in 2024. Despite that, it’s been hoped he could find his way back into the mix, as there’s no doubting his quality as a player, even if he’s had to adapt his game now that he’s 34.
And on this goal, he showed exactly what he can still do at a high level, doing well to create his own space with his run before making the most of the chance with a composed finish.
Had David not found him, that run might’ve gone unappreciated, but thankfully for Canada, they were on the same wavelength, and it led to a great goal.
And given their profiles, one has to imagine it’s not the last we see them linking up, as Canada will only benefit from having them do damage between the lines, helping break open matches like this one.
In a Marsch system where verticality and chaos reign, having players like David and Hoilett who can slow things down and do their thing amid the noise is key, as they showed on Friday.
(On that note, take the time to appreciate this combination play between Jonathan David and Ismaël Koné from the first half).
Bombito quietly stepping up as key leader for CanMNT:
If someone was watching this Canadian team for the first time in this game, it might’ve come as a surprise if they were told that of the 16 players to see the field across the 90th minute, Moïse Bombito had the 11th most caps for his country.
Certainly, based on how he was playing in the last 30 minutes of the game, one might’ve thought he was a wily veteran with over 100 of them to his name, as he did an excellent job to ensure Canada kept their clean sheet intact.
Despite having to deal with a late wave of Suriname pressure, he seemed to find a way to get on the end of any dangerous cross, pass or shot they sent in his general direction, shutting down any threats in commanding fashion.
After having had a relatively quiet first 60 minutes, he stepped up when called upon, and ended up playing a big role in this victory, continuing a strong run of performances for Canada.
🇨🇦 Moïse Bombito vs Suriname 🇸🇷
— Arya (@Twenty9United) November 16, 2024
⏳90 mins played
⚽️ 84 touches
👨🍳62/74 accurate passes made (84%)
👨🍳 1 chance created
🤺4 clearances made
🤺6 recoveries
🤺 6/6 aerial duels won (100%)
Cold. 🥶 #CanMNT 🍁 pic.twitter.com/vdyFAohCgI
Despite being without his usual centre back partner, Derek Cornelius, Bombito didn’t miss a beat, putting in a big shift alongside Joel Waterman.
Even though Waterman is four years older than him, Bombito wasn’t fazed by that, as he showed why Marsch has relied on him to play every single minute since he was hired.
Yet, one might ask about the relevance of Bombito’s age in that last section, it’s worth noting that it’s almost necessary to remind oneself that Bombito is still quite young for a centre back, especially after performances like this.
He’s quickly become a key piece in this Canadian team, but he’s still just 24 and has barely cracked 50 professional games, showing that while he’s a late bloomer, he’s only scratching the surface of what he can still do.
And that’s exciting. No doubt, he’s an important part of this team, but after a game like this, one can only start to wonder if he’s started to become part of the core handful of guys around whom this team is built.
Given how he’s played lately, one could argue that him coming out of the lineup would have the same effect if one were to take out Jonathan David, Alphonso Davies, Ismaël Koné or Stephen Eustáquio, as he’s completely changed the way Canada defends.
With his speed and size, he’s helped Canada play with the high line they once dreamed of using but could never employ, while still offering an aerial presence that has helped them shore up issues they once had with wide balls and crosses. There’s no better example of him doing both in this game - he cleaned up a few fires with his pace as he typically does, but then also won six out of six aerial duels and had two headed clearances.
That made a big difference in this victory, as he played a big role in Canada’s ability to limit Suriname to just two shots and none on target.
Yet, he’s made this sort of performance his standard, for both club and country, and both OGC Nice and Canada are reaping the benefits of it, something they’ll hope to get accustomed to doing for a while as he continues his rapid ascension as a player.
