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USMNT vs. Canada: Odds, Time, Live Stream, TV Schedule for World Cup Qualifying
January 30, 2022
The top two teams in Concacaf FIFA World Cup qualifying square off Sunday in Hamilton, Ontario.
Few people expected to utter that sentence nine games deep into the qualifying process because Canada is not a typical powerhouse in men's soccer.
Canada's program has made a ton of progress over the past few years and has a chance to solidify its spot atop the Concacaf table with a win over the United States men's national team.
The USMNT should have a ton of motivation to beat its neighbor to the north. A victory would put the Americans in first place and one giant step closer to qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Gregg Berhalter's side took another leap toward qualification with a 1-0 win over El Salvador on Thursday. The USMNT boss should use most of his starters from that clash in Ontario on Sunday.
USMNT vs. Canada Info
Date: Sunday, January 30
Start Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: Telemundo, NBC Universo
Live Stream: Paramount Plus
Odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook): Canada +195 (bet $100 to win $195); USMNT +160; draw +185
Preview
The USMNT took the majority of its first-team roster into Ontario.
Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie started together for the USMNT for the first time in three years Thursday. The European-based midfield trio should field the same roles Sunday as the Americans try to take the top spot from Canada.
The Americans will be without goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who did not travel from England because of a back issue he suffered with Manchester City, and attacker Timothy Weah because of an issue with his vaccination status. Weah should be back for the final game of the international window against Honduras on Wednesday, per U.S. Soccer.
Brenden Aaronson should be the top candidate to take over Weah's spot in the starting lineup. The Red Bull Salzburg midfielder is putting together a terrific season with his club, and his skills could be vital to the U.S. attack looking better than it did against El Salvador.
Aaronson is one of the most relentless two-way midfielders in the American talent pool. He will look to win the ball in midfield and set up chances.
Ricardo Pepi should be on the end of some of those passes if he starts up top. Pepi was not handed the start Thursday, with Jesus Ferreira featuring in that role.
Pepi is in the middle of transitioning from FC Dallas in Major League Soccer to Augsburg, which is in the middle of a relegation fight in the Bundesliga. He is one of five players with three or more goals in Concacaf World Cup qualifying, and he is a better option than Ferreira, who did not offer much moving forward in his last start.
Berhalter will be forced into one change and could also alter the forward lineup, but outside of that, no major tweaks are expected.
The USMNT boss could rotate Miles Robinson into the middle of defense to keep some legs fresh in the three-game window, but the Canada match takes precedence right now over a home matchup with Honduras.
The Americans caught a break because of Alphonso Davies' absence from the Canadian squad, but they still have to deal with Jonathan David in the final third.
David is tied with two others for the scoring lead in World Cup qualifying, and he has been in fantastic form in Ligue 1 with Lille. The striker could be Canada's difference-maker in its attempt to remain on top of the Concacaf table.
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