Jesse Marsch drew his players and staff into a tight huddle, paused for a moment, and found the message he wanted to deliver. “You are Canadian heroes,” he told them. “This sport has a big future because of you.”
It was dramatic, certainly, but that is part of Marsch’s make-up. “People like to say it’s performative… I don’t give a s***,” the Canada coach said later. And on this occasion, why would he? His team had just written another remarkable chapter in Canadian soccer history.
The decisive moment arrived in the second minute of stoppage time in their last-32 meeting with South Africa, when a delivery into the box was headed away but dropped invitingly to Stephen Eustaquio.
The midfielder has endured profound personal loss in recent years, with his mother dying of brain cancer in 2023 before his father passed away from a heart attack a year later. That made the moment all the more moving as Eustaquio controlled the ball on his chest and drilled a shot into the net from just outside the area.
“I couldn’t think of a more deserving human being for that moment,” Marsch said. “I’m really happy for him and I think from somewhere his parents are looking down and they saw that.”
For Canada, it was arguably the most significant goal the nation has ever scored — the strike that sent them into the last 16 for the first time.
Stephen Eustaquio struck an injury-time winner as Canada defeated South Africa at the World Cup
Jesse Marsch has guided Canada into the World Cup last 16 for the first time in the country’s history
Marsch gathered his players and staff in a huddle and told them: ‘You are Canadian heroes,’
For everyone else? It was a godsend. Until then, fans faced the prospect of sitting through extra time and penalties. Until then, no one would have enjoyed this except the blazers over at US Soccer.
Marsch was left ‘devastated’ after being snubbed for the USA job in 2023. This was his chance to hop over the border and show his countrymen what might have been.
Instead, Canada and South Africa stunk the place out for 91 minutes. It was a miserable advert for Gianni Infantino’s expansion project. The only saving grace? Up in the posh seats, the FIFA president had to put up with this, too.
Marsch won’t care. Shortly after full-time, he stretched his arms out, stared up to the heavens and soaked up the moment. Once he calms down, the Canada boss will breathe a huge sigh of relief. Canada sit more than 20 places above South Africa in the FIFA rankings. Now the Netherlands or Morocco await in Houston.
This was the first time either Canada or South Africa had made it to the knockout rounds in a combined seven attempts. Never before had a World Cup host nation played on foreign soil, either. That was Canada’s punishment for failing to top Group B.
As for Marsch? He had long dreamed of coaching a knockout game in the US but this wasn’t Plan A – belting out ‘O Canada’ and hearing boos. It is funny where life can take you.
The sight of Marsch singing the Canadian national anthem didn’t do much for relations between the 52-year-old and his compatriots. They were already strained after he missed out on the USMNT job and then claimed American players had to be ‘begged’ to sing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’
Most of this match hardly enamored Marsch to the US public, either. It was awful. Who could blame the crowd for booing large chunks of both halves?
This was the first time either Canada or South Africa had made it to the knockout rounds
The ball was headed out to Eustaquio, who brought it down and then fired home
It took 44 minutes for any real drama. First, from a Canada corner, Moise Bombito’s header was cleared off the line before Tajon Buchanan’s shot was saved. Moments later, Richie Laryea went down in the box. Replays showed that Khuliso Mudau’s boot brushed the ball.
But Marsch wasn’t convinced – he stormed on to the pitch at halftime and had to be restrained. He ought to have been screaming for Alphonso Davies to warm up instead.
The Canada captain missed the group stages due to a hamstring issue – despite Marsch messing with their rivals by insisting he was ready to play.
The Bayern Munich star was ‘truly available’ for this one, apparently. But he did not make it off the bench until 15 minutes from time.
It’s not saying much but Canada were the better side and they turned up the pressure after Davies took the armband off Eustaquio. But, in the end, it was the midfielder who led his country into uncharted waters.
‘I am American and I’m proud to be American but I do think that the ideals and the characteristics of Canadian people fit me really well,’ Marsch said.
‘Sometimes I know that Americans, we get a certain rap for being boisterous, for being arrogant, for being outwardly vocal. And I know that in many ways that does describe me – or at least people love to describe me that way. But again, I don’t give a s***. All I care about is working with the teams I work with and the players I work with and helping them be the best that they can be.’
Canada drew with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B and after this win, Marsch was asked what the US should expect in the round of 32.
‘I don’t really care,’ he said. ‘It’s up to the US to figure [it] out… whoever [Bosnia and Herzegovina] play they will give a really hard match.’
