TORONTO — Canada’s men’s soccer team hopes to lay down a marker in its final home outing of 2025 when it hosts Ecuador on Thursday at BMO Field.
It won’t be easy against a South American side ranked 23rd in the world and unbeaten in its last 13 matches (5-0-8) since a 1-0 loss to No. 7 Brazil in World Cup qualifying in September 2024. That run features 10 clean sheets including a 1-0 qualifying victory in September over World Cup champion Argentina.
“We want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to get people excited for next summer.” said Canada coach Jesse Marsch. “The guys will be ready, I know that. They’ll be focused on the match. It’ll be a huge crowd, the biggest one I’ve had since I’ve been part of the national team.
“We’re ready for a big opponent but for our best performance.”
The goal is to excite the home fans ahead of what Marsch called “the biggest sporting event in human history.”
“We are eager and hungry every day that we are together to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to prepare ourselves to light the country on fire,” he added.
The Ecuador roster includes star midfielder Moises Caicedo, who joined England’s Chelsea from Brighton in August 2023 for a then-British record transfer fee of 115 million pounds ($211.5 million).
“Very athletic … A really big challenge,” Marsch said of the South Americans.
He believes his players are used to facing big names, citing Niko Sigur’s “amazing” job last time out against Colombian winger Luis Diaz, who joined Bayern Munich from Liverpool in July for a reported 75-million-Euro ($121.8 million (transfer fee
“I think now this (Canadian) team believes in themselves and believes in who we are,” said Marsch,
The forecast for Thursday evening calls for 4 C, feeling like zero, with a 20 per cent chance of precipitation.
After Ecuador, No. 28 Canada leaves for the warmth of Florida and a date Tuesday with No. 50 Venezuela at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
“We want to play the match. Let’s hope everything stays calm enough that it works out Tuesday,” Marsch said when asked whether the rising political tensions between the United States and Venezuela might impact the match
Marsch has three new dual-national players in camp in Tigres winger Marcelo Flores, Middlesbrough centre back Alfie Jones and Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Owen Goodman.
But unless Jones can take his citizenship oath in time, he will be a spectator Thursday. Flores, who has already won three caps for Mexico, is in camp as a training player so will not dress.
Goodman has his citizenship but is not expected to see action in the window, with Dayne St. Clair and Maxime Crepeau looking after goalkeeping duties.
“The overwhelming feeling about all three of them is that they’re great guys,” Marsch said of the newcomers. “They fit in well with what we do here … We’re hopeful to get Alfie sworn in soon and convince Marcelo that this is the right place for him.”
Players missing through injury include captain Alphonso Davies, Moise Bombito, Alistair Johnston, Sam Adekugbe, Jacob Shaffelburg, Liam Millar and Luc de Fougerolles.
Thursday’s game marks the second meeting between Canada and Ecuador. The first matchup, also at BMO Field, was a 2-2 draw in June 2011 with substitute Tosaint Ricketts scoring the tying goal for Canada in stoppage time.
Ecuador has already booked its ticket to the 2026 World Cup, finishing second — with an 8-2-8 record — to Argentina in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying.
Canada, meanwhile, looks to bounce back from a disappointing October international window that produced a 1-0 loss to No. 25 Australia in Montreal and a scoreless draw with No. 13 Colombia in Harrison, N.J.
The Canadians have not scored in 229 minutes, dating back to Derek Cornelius’ winner in a 1-0 victory over Wales on Sept. 9.
“We’ve got some guys that can finish up top, including myself,” said Vancouver Whitecaps winger Ali Ahmed. “We know we’ve got to do a better job putting the ball in the net and finishing our chances.”
Ahmed could face former Whitecaps teammate Pedro Vite. Vancouver sold the midfielder to Mexico’s Pumas UNAM in July.
While Marsch would not reveal who will start in goal Thursday, he did respond when ask about which player was leading the fight for the No. 9 jersey at the other end of the field to play with Jonathan David.
“I think Tani (Oluwaseyi) has established himself right now in the pole position for that,” he said.
Marsch also said he had no concerns about David’s slow start with Italy’s Juventus.
“They call him the Iceman. There’s not a lot that fazes Johnny,” Marsch said with a chuckle.
“Johnny is a great player, (has) an incredible mentality and he’ll be ready no matter what,” he added.
After Canada, Ecuador takes on No. 85 New Zealand on Tuesday in Harrison, N.J.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2025.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
