USMNT beats Canada 1-0 as Justin Ellis caps a perfect 4-0 window for Pochettino

The U.S. men's national team beat Canada 1-0 on Tuesday night, Oct. 6, at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota. Orlando City teenager Justin Ellis scored the only goal in the 29th minute, and the win gave Mauricio Pochettino a clean sweep of the September-October window: four friendlies, four victories.

How did the USMNT beat Canada?

The goal came from a quick combination down the right. Alex Freeman exchanged passes with Malik Tillman, carried the ball toward the box and slid a low cross to the far post, where Ellis arrived first and finished from close range. It was the teenage forward's second goal for his country after the one he scored against Peru on Sept. 26.

Ellis had needed treatment about ten minutes earlier after a hard foul and was still limping when he came back on. He was replaced at halftime by Julian Hall.

The rest of the night was physical. The two sides combined for 43 fouls and four yellow cards, and neither attack created much: the U.S. finished with five shots and one on target, Canada with seven and three.

Canada's best chance came in the second half. Luc de Fougerolles met a free kick at the far post, and Nashville SC goalkeeper Brian Schwake, making his first start for the national team, pushed the shot onto the crossbar. Schwake made three saves and kept a clean sheet, the second in a row for the U.S. after the 3-0 win over Mexico on Saturday.

What did Pochettino change?

Pochettino made six changes from the lineup that beat Mexico. Freeman, Gio Reyna, Tillman, Auston Trusty and captain Chris Richards were the only holdovers. Winger Mathis Albert made his first start, Yunus Musah reached 50 caps at 24, and Cole Campbell of SV Elversberg debuted as a 61st-minute substitute. With Campbell's appearance, all 28 players on the roster saw the field during the window, according to U.S. Soccer.

"The effort was massive," Pochettino said after the game, as reported by ESPN. He pointed to the four matches in roughly two weeks and said he was pleased with the commitment his players showed more than with the result itself.

What did the window leave for the USMNT?

These were Pochettino's first games since the U.S. went out of the World Cup to Belgium in the round of 16 in July. The team beat Peru 4-1, Chile 4-2, Mexico 3-0 and Canada 1-0, for 12 goals scored and two shutouts, with 13 players earning their first cap. U.S. Soccer noted that four straight wins matches the program's longest run since the stretch that bridged 2024 and 2025, and that Tuesday's result snapped a two-game winless run against Canada.

What's next for the U.S. and Canada?

Next up is a Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal against Haiti in November, played over two legs. The first leg is set for Nov. 14 at a site still to be announced, with the return leg in Cincinnati, at TQL Stadium, on Nov. 17. Canada will face Guatemala in the same round.