Tournament soccer is all about building. Each game means overcoming new obstacles against new opponents that perhaps a team hasn’t played against for years, or ever. In a short competition like this all about momentum, incremental improvement each match is critical.
After a narrow 1-0 win over Cameroon, Canada showed that crucial progression in their second match of the tournament against New Zealand. A 2-0 win this afternoon was an improvement both defensively and, crucially, going forward as well.
It also means an automatic spot in the knockout stages. Canada’s final group match against the European Champions from the Netherlands will determine whether they reach that stage in first or second.