Jesse Marsch has been forced into many of his lineup decisions at the FIFA World Cup due to injuries, but the Canada head coach has consistently tinkered with the top of his formation by choice.
While Canada has sent out two strikers to start each of their four matches, Tani Oluwaseyi and Cyle Larin have both seen starts beside Jonathan David, while Promise David has made his impact felt as a substitute.
It remains unclear who will get the start in Saturday’s historic Round of 16 clash against Morocco as Canada looks to upset the 2022 semifinalists.
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Marsch caught many off guard when he elected to start Oluwaseyi over Larin in Canada’s opening match of the tournament. It was the veteran Larin, though, that entered off the match and scored to secure a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada’s first-ever World Cup point.
Larin was called back into the Starting XI against Qatar and scored the opening goal in the 16th minute, opening the floodgates in an eventual 6-0 rout. The Brampton, Ont., native would also then start Canada’s 2-1 loss to Switzerland in their final group-round game, being substituted off in the 57th after picking up a yellow card in the first half.
Oluwaseyi replaced Larin, but it was Promise David, who entered as a substitute for Tajon Buchanon in the 75th minute, that provided the lone goal for Canada just a minute after entering.
Marsch elected to turn back to Oluwaseyi in the Starting XI against South Africa on Sunday. He was substituted out in the 70th minute for Promise David, while Larin was not brought in as Canada used all five substitutes before Stephen Eustaquio scored the game-winner in stoppage time.
Oluwaseyi is the only member of the trio Marsch is believed to be picking from to appear in all four of Canada’s games, but he has yet to find the back of the net. The 26-year-old Villareal forward posted three shots against South Africa including two on target, bringing his tournament total to six shots with three on target.
Larin has scored his two goals on nine shots, four of which have been on target.
Promise David has his goal on five shots, all three which that were on target came against Switzerland. Question marks remain on whether the Union Saint-Gilloise is fit enough to get the start as he plays for Canada just four months after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his hip in February.
Jonathan David has been a constant for Marsch, starting all four games and posting a hat trick against Qatar. He has taken 15 shots, seven of which have been on target. He has played the full 90 minutes in every match since being substituted for Larin in the draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It remains unclear and up for debate who will start beside the Juventus striker on Saturday.
Questions in the midfield
Marsch has traded starts between Liam Millar and Ali Ahmed on the left side of the midfield as the team has tried to fill Alphonso Davies’ place in the lineup.
Davies was able to make his tournament debut in the win against South Africa, entering as a substitute in the 75th minute and making his impact felt immediately.
Whether Davies is fit enough to join the Starting XI on Saturday remains to be seen as he continues to recover from a troublesome hamstring injury that has plagued his season.
If Davies remains only an option off the bench, Marsch will likely be choosing between Millar, Ahmed or Jacob Shaffelburg, who has appeared in all four games off the bench.
Marsch was forced to adapt in the centre of his lineup after Ismael Kone suffered a fractured tibia and fibula in the win over Qatar. Both Nathan Saliba and Mathieu Choiniere entered the Starting XI against Switzerland as Eustaquio was limited to a substitute role with a knock. Saliba and Eustaquio started together against South Africa before Saliba was replaced by Nico Sigur after picking up a yellow card.
On the backline, Moïse Bombito joined Derek Cornelius at centreback in the starting XI against South Africa for the first time in the tournament. Luc de Fougerolles started the first three games and replaced Bombito in the 59th minute on Sunday. Marsch will have to weigh whether to risk making another backline substitution against Morocco if he starts Bombito, or start the more in-form de Fougerolles.
Elsewhere in the lineup Tajon Buchanon, Alistair Johnston, Richie Laryea, Jonathan David and, of course, goaltender Maxime Crepeau have been constants in the Starting XI.
How Marsch deploys his side against Morocco could prove crucial as to whether Canada can keep their World Cup run alive and clinch a stunning quarter-final berth.
