With a 2-0 victory over Canada on Sunday, US successfully defended their CONCACAF Nations League crown. Folarin Balogun scored his first goal playing for the US, and Gio Reyna contributed two assists.
Chris Richards’ header off a corner kick by Reyna gave the Americans the lead in the 12th minute. Then, 22 minutes later, Reyna was allowed too much room near the top of the box and passed Balogun, who scored from close range to double the advantage.
Reyna now has more goal contributions in tournament finals than any other player in USMNT history with three assists in two Nations League finals and one goal overall. Reyna, though, left the game at halftime with a calf injury.
With multiple opportunities outside of the two goals, the United States dominated the first half. The U.S. was largely in control despite Canada forcing a stunning save from Turner in the 39th minute.
Early in the second half, Canada gained a little more control of the game, but the Americans were once again creating opportunities. From the 54th to the 56th minute, a Balogun shot was stopped for a corner, a Richards header was deflected off the crossbar, and a Balogun close-range attempt was cleared off the goal line. In the 67th minute, Cyle Larin missed a chance to halve the deficit by shooting over the crossbar. In the 94th minute, Jonathan David also had a chance for Canada, but they were unsuccessful.
With this victory, the United States has now triumphed in its previous three CONCACAF competitions. The United States won the 2021 Gold Cup by defeating El Tri in the final, and they also defeated Mexico in the 2021 Nations League final.
