Canada men's – Canada’s squad faces a roster shakeup as key players Cyle Larin and Tajon Buchanan depart the team due to injuries, prompting late call-ups.
The timing could hardly be worse for Jesse Marsch. With a friendly against the United States looming this Tuesday in St. Paul, Minnesota, Canada’s head coach is now forced to recalibrate his roster after losing two pivotal contributors to injury.
Cyle Larin, the 31-year-old striker from Brampton, Ontario, has exited the camp following back irritation. Larin. who had featured in Canada’s 1-0 victory over Chile back on September 26. was initially monitored ahead of the Saturday match against Peru. Ultimately, the decision was made to send him back to his English Championship club, Southampton.
“Cyle’s back, it was OK, but we just felt like getting him back to Southampton and making sure that he’s ready to perform over the next weeks was important for him,” Marsch explained during a Monday press conference.
While Larin’s departure is a precaution, the situation surrounding Tajon Buchanan carries more frustration. The winger sustained a lower-body injury during Canada’s 2-0 win over Peru in Montreal. brought down by a defensive tackle that Marsch noted was potentially a red-card offense. The impact tweaked Buchanan’s hamstring, forcing him to return to his club, La Liga’s Villarreal.
“It wasn’t bad, but it was bad enough where we probably weren’t going to play in Tuesday’s game,” Marsch said of the midfielder’s condition.
As both players head to their respective clubs for further evaluation, the tactical ripple effect is immediate. To restore depth to the front line, Marsch has brought in Major League Soccer forwards Marcus Caldeira of Minnesota United and Theo Corbeanu of Toronto FC.
Two established starters are gone, replaced by fresh faces less than 48 hours before kickoff against a formidable American side. For a squad looking to build momentum, the international window has become as much about managing physical attrition as it is about preparing for the next match.
Canada soccer Jesse Marsch Cyle Larin Tajon Buchanan international friendly Canada vs USA