Canada and Ireland Draw 1-1 in World Cup Send-Off Match

Chiedozie Ogbene crashed Canada’s World Cup send-off party with a poacher’s finish, as Ireland fought back to claim a 1-1 draw in Montreal on Friday night.

This was supposed to be Canada’s night. One last rehearsal, one last clean script before the real thing begins in Toronto on June 12. Instead, Jesse Marsch’s side walked away with as many questions as answers.

Canada strike first – with a slice of fortune

Canada’s breakthrough came early and came ugly.

In the 24th minute, Stephen Eustáquio whipped in a corner that caused chaos at the near post. Jake O’Brien, wrestling for position in front of goal, watched in horror as the ball glanced off him and into his own net. No Canadian touch, no slick attacking move. Just pressure, a good delivery, and a defender’s nightmare.

It still counted. Canada led, and for a while the goal settled them.

Without Alphonso Davies, still sidelined by a hamstring injury from his Bayern Munich duties and with no return date in sight, Canada again leaned on structure and set pieces rather than individual brilliance. Marsch, who handed Luc de Fougerolles the start at center back in place of the recovering Moïse Bombito, saw his back line largely untroubled in open play before the interval.

Bombito, returning from a fractured tibia and seen icing his leg after coming off at halftime against Uzbekistan earlier in the week, watched as his replacement tried to stake a claim for World Cup minutes.

Ogbene pounces after Larin’s costly lunge

The game changed with one rash decision.

On the hour, Cyle Larin — the man of the day after signing a two-year deal with Southampton — lunged into a reckless challenge on Jamie McGrath in the box. There was little debate. Ireland had a penalty and a route back into a match that had been slipping away.

Troy Parrott stepped up. Maxime Crépeau guessed right.

The Canada goalkeeper, who has finally secured the World Cup No. 1 spot after the heartbreak of missing Qatar 2022 with a broken leg suffered in the MLS Cup final for LAFC, hurled himself to his left and punched the spot kick away.

His reward lasted barely a second.

The rebound dropped invitingly, and Ogbene reacted quicker than anyone in red. One swing, one thump, and the ball ripped into the net. Ireland were level at 1-1, and the mood inside the stadium shifted instantly.

What had been a controlled Canadian tune-up suddenly became a test of nerve.

Crépeau’s redemption and Ireland’s late threat

Ireland, with no World Cup to look forward to, played as if this was their tournament moment. With the pressure off and the equaliser in the bag, they pushed on.

The best chance to steal it came in the 85th minute. Mason Melia burst through, one-on-one, the kind of moment that silences a crowd before the shot is even taken. Crépeau stood tall, read it, and smothered the attempt with a sharp, decisive stop.

He finished with two saves, but both mattered: the penalty stop that briefly preserved the lead, and the late intervention that prevented a deflating defeat.

For a keeper who watched the last World Cup from a hospital bed instead of the pitch, this camp has been about reclaiming his place and his story. On that front, he delivered.

World Cup countdown begins in earnest

Canada leave Montreal with a draw, a bruised ego, and a reminder that margins will be thinner in Group B.

They handled Uzbekistan 2-0 in Edmonton on Monday. Ireland, though, asked harder questions — about game management, about discipline in the box, about what this team looks like when Davies is still in the stands and not on the wing.

Next comes the real thing.

Canada open their World Cup on June 12 in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina, then head west to Vancouver to face Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24. Marsch has chosen Crépeau over Dayne St. Claire. He has tested de Fougerolles. He has seen Larin start as his new Southampton signing, and also seen how a single mistimed challenge can flip a match.

The dress rehearsals are over. The questions raised in Montreal will now follow Canada onto the biggest stage of all.