TORONTO — Canada, playing a man down for 84 minutes, showed great character in holding No. 13 Ecuador to a 0-0 draw in a men’s soccer friendly Thursday.
The game turned in the sixth minute when winger Ali Ahmed was sent off for a reckless challenge.
In the wake of the ejection, No. 28 Canada defended resolutely while looking to counter attack. Ecuador passed and probed but could not take advantage.
The Canadians kept their shape in a second half that grew chippier by the moment. And despite being a man down, they looked dangerous when they were able to attack.
The South Americans had scoring chances, but not too many. And when not attacking, they indulged in gamesmanship, going down very easily.
The game at BMO Field, where the Canadian men will kick off their World Cup on June 12, marked Canada’s last home outing in 2025. Construction crews will take over the venue after Saturday’s Northern Super League final to continue World Cup renovations.
The sellout crowd of 28,740 included a loud Ecuador contingent cheering on the visitors.
The Canadians head south to face No. 50 Venezuela on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., while Ecuador travels to Harrison, N.J., to meet No. 85 New Zealand.
It was 5 C at kickoff, feeling like 2 C.
But the game heated up quickly when Mexican referee Fernando Hernandez showed Ahmed a straight red.
Ahmed, trying to intercept a looping clearance from Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez, caught Alan Franco with his boot around the armpit, with the Ecuadorean making the most of the contact.
It was a clear foul but did not seem worthy of a sending off. Ahmed and Canada coach Jesse Marsch were incredulous.
Hernandez is no stranger to controversy. In April 2023, he was suspended 12 games for kneeing Leon’s Lucas Romero in the groin during a Mexican league match.
Ecuador arrived 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 featured 10 clean sheets including a 1-0 qualifying victory in September over World Cup champion Argentina.
Ecuador booked its ticket to the 2026 World Cup, finishing second — with an 8-2-8 record — to Argentina in the CONMEBOL qualifying table.
Canada, meanwhile, was coming off 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 came into Thursday’s game scoreless in 229 minutes, dating back to Derek Cornelius’ winner in a 1-0 victory over Wales on Sept. 9.
Dayne St. Clair, who grew up in nearby Pickering, started in goal behind a revamped backline with Alphonso Davies, Moise Bombito and Alistair Johnston out injured, and Cornelius and Cyle Larin in camp but carrying knocks.
Kamal Miller earned his 50th cap alongside Joel Waterman, Niko Sigur and Richie Laryea.
Marsch was able to start his first-choice attack with Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi. Captain Stephen Eustaquio and Ismael Kone occupied the centre of midfield with Ahmed and Tajon Buchanan on the wing.
The Canadian starting 11 went into the game with a combined 415 caps.
The Ecuador starters included 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 (CAD$212.2 million).
Other starters included Arsenal’s Piero Hincapie, Paris Saint-Germain’s Willian Pacho and former Vancouver Whitecap Pedro Vite, now with Mexico’s Pumas UNAM. Veteran Enner Valencia (Mexico’s Pachuca) and John Yeboah (Venezia) led the Ecuador attack.
Down a man, Canada came close in the 14th minute on a rapid-fire attack that saw the ball move from Miller to Laryea to Oluwaseyi in front of goal, only to see Galindez make a fine reflex save to deny Oluwaseyi.
Ecuador’s lone real chance in the half came in the 29th minute when Valencia hammered a shot that hit the side netting.
While Ecuador had 79 per cent possession in the first half, Canada had a 3-1 edge in shots (1-0 in shots on target).
Pacho came close in the 65th minute at the end of a free kick but his shot off went just wide. And Valencia flubbed his header in the 74th minute.
Laryea, meanwhile, continued his fine play in Canada colours. St. Clair, the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, recorded his10th shutout for Canada.
Of Marsch’s three new dual-national players in camp, only Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Owen Goodman made the bench.
Middlesbrough centre back Alfie Jones is still waiting to take his citizenship oath while Tigres winger Marcelo Flores, who already has three caps for Mexico, is only in camp as a training player.
Canada came into the game with a 6-2-4 record in 2025, with two of those draws turning into penalty shootout losses (to the Ivory Coast and Guatemala).
Canada and Ecuador had played on three previous occasions, most recently in a 2-2 draw in June 2011 at BMO Field with substitute Tosaint Ricketts scoring the tying goal for Canada in stoppage time. Ecuador won 2-0 when they met in January 2002 at the CONCACAF Gold Cup at Miami’s Orange Bowl and prevailed 2-1 at the Canada Cup in June 1999 in Edmonton.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
