June 16th Edition

Happy belated Father’s Day!

We hope all the dads out there got treated to a special weekend of footy, because my goodness, there was a lot of it. Between the Club World Cup and Gold Cup kicking off, MLS, CPL and the NSL, Saturday and Sunday were action packed.

And there is a lot more to come in the week ahead, as CanMNT kicks off their 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup campaign.

Are they Gold Cup favourites? Can they carry their Canadian Shield momentum to Vancouver? All that plus Canucks Abroad, league recaps and more in this week’s edition of The Northern Pitch.

In this week's edition:

• 🇨🇦 Are CanMNT Gold Cup favourites?

• 🏆 Canada are Canadian Shield Champions

• 🍁 Trio of Canadians in 2025 Club World Cup

• 🌍 Canucks Abroad

• ⚽️ Canadian MLS Recap

• 🍁 CPL Recap

• 🌌 NSL Recap

• ✅ Northern Picks

CanMNT

🇨🇦 Are CanMNT Gold Cup favourites?

Is this Canada’s year?

It’s been 25 years since Canada last won the Concacaf Gold Cup, but with their best squad ever to begin a Gold Cup tournament, it feels like that drought could come to an end.

Nobody in this tournament has the firepower that Canada does, should they all be available, between Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan, Stephen Eustáquio, Cyle Larin, Promise David and plenty more.

Plus, there are plenty of players in this Canada team out to prove themselves ahead of 2026, not only to Canada manager Jesse Marsch, but to prospective clubs as well.

Canada have a tricky group, but one that should have them battle tested if they get to the knockout rounds, including Honduras, Curaçao and El Salvador. They kick things off with Honduras on Tuesday night at BC Place (7:30 p.m. PT / 10:30 p.m. ET).

If you are in the Vancouver area, make sure to get out and support the lads as they look to get their competition started on the right foot.

Still, a few other nations have more experience, not to mention recent success, than Canada and will be keen to show that they are still the top dogs in the region.

The United States opened the tournament with a statement 5-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago, but this is far from their A team, and the vibes have been really off around this American squad ever since Mauricio Pochettino took over.

Mexico, meanwhile, are having a bit of resurgence recently, and on paper are probably still the favourite. They won the most recent edition, as well as the Concacaf Nations League back in March. Quite simply, they just know how to win in this region, and have the squad to back that up.

The heart says Canada, the head probably still says Mexico. We will find out over the next few weeks which (or neither) is right.

CanMNT

🏆 Canada are Canadian Shield Champions (because of course)

The CanMNT already have one piece of silverware in 2025, even if it probably wasn’t the one they had in mind coming into the year.

Despite drawing against Côte d’Ivoire on Tuesday, and losing in the penalty shootout, they won the first-ever edition of the Canadian Shield.

It was a bit of a weird celebration around BMO Field after a match where Canada had probably been outplayed in a 0-0 draw, and certainly didn’t look up to the standard they had last Saturday when they dominated Ukraine 4-2.

Still, they kept a clean sheet, and will probably learn a lot from a feisty match that saw 41 combined fouls between the two sides. This is good World Cup prep, and considering Canada started the match without Davies, David, Tajon, Bombito, AJ or Eustáquio, it is a good sign of the depth as well.

Overall, the first edition of the Canadian Shield was a success, both for the CanMNT, and the tournament as a whole (although maybe attendance numbers could be a little higher next time). Here’s to many more.

Club World Cup

🍁 Trio of Canadians involved in 2025 Club World Cup

The newly expanded Club World Cup tournament kicked off over the weekend across the United States, with some notable Canadian content.

Two Canadian internationals will miss out on the tournament despite their club’s participation for different reasons. Through injury, Alphonso Davies is unavailable for Bayern Munich, while Tajon Buchanan, who spent the second half of 2025 on loan at Villarreal, was not on Inter Milan’s team, and will instead be with Canada at the Gold Cup.

Canada’s biggest star at the tournament, then, is Porto’s Stephen Eustáquio. He came on in the 78th minute of Porto’s tournament-opening 0-0 draw with Palmeiras on Sunday. Porto’s group also includes Inter Miami and Egyptian side Al Ahly.

The other two Canadian players participating are LAFC duo Thomas Hasal and Ryan Raposo. The latter is coming off his first appearances for the club, having played five minutes against Sporting Kansas City in MLS action this past week. Hasal, meanwhile, has also made just one appearance this season and is perhaps unlikely to make another at this competition with some guy named Hugo Lloris the regular starter.

Of course, Canadian coach Marc dos Santos is still with LAFC as an assistant, as well. LAFC kick off their tournament against Chelsea on Monday.

Catch all the Club World Cup action on DAZN.

Canucks Abroad

🌍 Canucks Abroad

⚜️ Janine Sonis goal and assist. Sonis and Racing Louisville travelled to play against Kansas City Current in the NWSL. It was not the most ideal game for the visitors as they were defeated 4-2. Silver lining, CanWNT winger Janine Sonis picked up a goal in the 62nd minute and an assist in the 88th.

🇸🇪 Carly Wickenheiser scored a brace. BK Häcken hosted AIK in the Swedish first division and dismantled the opposition with a 6-0 thumping. CanWNT midfielder found the net twice in the 12th and 23rd minute. 

🌹Jessie Fleming with two assists. It was a week for CanWNT players and getting two goal involvements for their clubs. Fleming assisted both Portland Thorns goals, in the 39th and 82nd, in a 2-0 win over Gabby Carle’s Washington Spirit. The first one even included a nutmeg.

⬇️ CanWNT drop in ranking despite three wins. FIFA rankings have always been an elusive system that no one entirely understands. CanWNT dropped in ranking going from 7th to 8th. To drop by one is not a big deal but Canada has won 3 out of their last four games. This fact is what makes the ranking system confusing. Nonetheless, still top 10.

Follow Canucks Abroad on Twitter, Bluesky and Instagram.

Major League Soccer

⚽️ Canadian MLS Recap

🔵 CF Montréal won a game! Guess who performed big for MTL? Prince Owusu. Oui, you heard that right. The former TFC striker came up big as a he scored a brace against the Houston Dynamo. Aleksandr Guboglo registered his first MLS assist with a cross that Owusu converted for his second goal. Jalen Neal scored his first goal for CF MTL and sealed the game 3-1.

🌊 Columbus Crew handed the Caps an L. Vancouver travelled to Columbus to faceoff against one of the league favourites. The Caps once again fielded their second string lineup, but they performed decently considering the lineup and player omissions. Columbus fielded a strong starting lineup and handed the Whitecaps a 2-1 defeat. Despite the loss, Vancouver fans shouldn’t be concerned as this starting eleven played great football.

👑 Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty assisted Zaha. Charlotte FC travelled to Philadelphia were handed a 2-1 loss to the Union. Despite the loss, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, currently on loan to Charlotte FC, assisted Wilfried Zaha’s equlizer against the home team.

🌎 Dominik Yankov and Fernando Alvarez are wanted outside of Montreal. Toronto-born midfielder Yankov is linked with a move to CSKA Sofia. The Bulgarian club would need to pay CFM upwards to €900k for Dominik Yankov. Montreal could also lose out on Colombian-born defender Fernando Alvarez. Argentinian club Atletico Lanus is interested in securing a one-year loan with the option to buy for the young defender. However, with the Gold Cup approaching, MTL is interested in retaining Fernandez to replace Joel Waterman while away with the CanMNT.

Canadian Premier League

🍁 CPL Recap

🔨 Forge FC kept their impressive unbeaten run alive. It was a confident 2–0 win over Vancouver FC, with goals from Kyle Bekker and Dan Nimick sealing the deal. Vancouver showed some fight despite being hit by illness, but couldn’t find a way through Forge’s solid performance.

🏟️ Atlético Ottawa rolled to a strong 3–0 win over Valour FC at TD Place, with goals from Ballou Tabla, Sam Salter, and Gabriel Antinoro. Valour held their own early on, but Ottawa’s clinical finishing and second-half dominance sealed the win at home.

⚓️ Halifax draw brings them to third place. The Wanderers hosted Cavalry in a significant midseason matchup. Halifax came out swinging and earned their first goal in the 8th minute from Tiago Coimbra after a poor attempted clearance from Marco Carducci. Despite applying offensive pressure on the visitors, the Cavs found the back of the net from a Caniggia Elva’s goal in the 69th minute. The game ended 1-1 and Halifax dropped to third place.

👑 Are York finally finding a groove? The Nine Stripes have now won three of their last five games in the CPL. This past weekend, they travelled to Vancouver Island to play against Pacific FC. The Tridents took the lead in the 20th minute but York responded with three goals in the second half. The game ended 3-1 for York United. We must highlight Orlando Botello’s goal in the 70th, a proper screamer.

Follow Canucks At Home on Twitter and Bluesky.

Northern Super League

🌌 NSL Recap

🌊 The Halifax Tides win at last. Sure it took seven attempts to happen, but it’s good to finally see all six teams get into the wins column. The Tides had to fight for the win on Tuesday with the Ottawa Rapid in town, coming off a big win over Ontario rivals AFC Toronto. With the Rapid leading heading into the final 30 minutes, the Tides sparked a 2-1 comeback win to give the home support the big milestone.

🌆 AFC Toronto back in the wins. A big response was needed for AFCT after that big loss against Ottawa — and was what they got in a five-goal thriller in Vancouver on Wednesday. The Rise never really let Toronto get too far away, even after a quick Toronto start. But, Nikayla Small would eventually claim the match-winner in a 3-2 final as the hosts fell short of the draw.

🌹 Will anyone stop the Roses? Les Montréalaises continued to pace the league after the first of a Saturday doubleheader ended 2-1, in their favour. Latifah Abdu danced through the Ottawa defence for a 24th minute opener. The Rapid’s day got worse from there as Olivia Scott gained the dubious claim of the league’s first-ever red card. Ukrainian national team call-up Tanya Boychuk wrapped up the win after DB Pridham looked to make it interesting with what would end up a consolation goal.

⬆️ AFC Toronto in the chase. The weeks-long fight in the standings might finally be clearing up. AFC Toronto headed to McMahon Stadium, both themselves and the Calgary Wild looking to carve out a gap to the midfield pack. Nikayla Small, one of Toronto’s most consistent performers this season, was there to deliver again after her midweek match-winner — getting a first-half brace. U SPORTS legend Danielle Steer found her first in the second half, but AFCT would take all three points, 2-1.

Follow Canucks At Home on Twitter and Bluesky.

✅ Northern Picks

🎽 What to buy

PUMA and KidSuper linked up to deliver a bold Club World Cup capsule that blends art and football. Featuring hand-drawn graphics and vibrant kits for seven clubs, the collection transforms classic gear into wearable works of art. Grab a piece here before they sell out.

📚 What to read

Our friends at The Blizzard in the UK have just released Issue Fifty Seven of their magazine in both digital and print. Get yourself some quality football writing and thank us later.

📺 What to watch

Copa90 have released a powerful new mini-doc titled Finding The First South Asian Lioness on their YouTube channel. The doc uncovers the challenges South Asian women face in English football, featuring insights from experts and athletes.