Canada beats Guatemala 3-2 in Nations League first leg but loses captain Alphonso Davies to injury
Canada secured a 3-2 win over Guatemala in the opening leg of the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal, while captain Alphonso Davies suffered a lower-body injury that will be assessed in the coming days.
Canada defeated Guatemala 3-2 in the first leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final on Friday night, taking a 3-0 lead into halftime thanks to goals from Tani Oluwaseyi, Liam Millar and Jonathan David. Guatemala pulled one back through Oscar Santis in the 54th minute, and a late own-goal by Luc de Fougerolles left the match at a one-goal margin.
Assistant coach Mauro Biello said the team was pleased with the forwards' performance in the first half. He added that captain Alphonso Davies sustained a lower-body injury after slipping in the fifth minute and was substituted after indicating he felt something wrong. "In the end, he felt something and he waved at us to come off," Biello said, noting that doctors will assess the injury in the next few days.
The match also saw head coach Jesse Marsch receive a red card in the 64th minute, a decision that Biello described as surprising. Davies, who missed recent friendlies while on his honeymoon, had been at full fitness in training this week and has made 15 appearances for Bayern Munich this season.
Canada will host the second leg on Monday at Toronto’s BMO Field. The winner of the two-leg series advances to the CONCACAF Nations League Finals in Los Angeles in March 2027 and secures a spot in the 2027 Gold Cup, while the loser will be forced into the Gold Cup preliminary round.