By the Numbers: CanMNT, El Tri set to renew hostilities Thursday on TSN

With Canada and Mexico set to renew hostilities with a spot in the Concacaf Nations League Final on the line, let’s take a look at some numbers that could prove to be pivotal on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

2 (uncapped players)

There are two brand-new names in Jesse Marsch’s 23-man squad headed to Los Angeles. In line for their first-ever appearances in a Canada shirt is a pair of forwards in Daniel Jebbison and Promise David.

Jebbison, 21, is a native of Oakville, Ont. In 2018, Jebbison headed to England to join the Sheffield United academy. On May 8, 2020, Jebbison would make his Premier League debut with the Blades in a 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace. A week later, he would score his first Premier League goal in a 1-0 away win over Everton.

After three more seasons on the books at Bramall Lane, including a loan spell at League One side Burton Albion, Jebbison signed a four-year deal with Bournemouth. Immediately sent on a season-long loan to Championship side Watford, Jebbison was recalled by the Cherries this past January after an injury crisis up front. Jebbison has made nine appearances since his return to the Premier League.

Born to a Jamaican father and an English mother, Jebbison chose to represent England at a youth level, appearing for the under-18, under-19 and under-20 sides. Alongside the likes of Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah, Jamie Gittens of Borussia Dortmund and Liam Delap, now of Ipswich Town, Jebbison was a member of the Three Lions squad that claimed the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.

With a logjam of talent in the England forward corps and no guarantee of a place in the senior side, Marsch was able to persuade Jebbison to switch allegiances to Canada.

While Marsch’s forward options aren’t lacking for size, David adds an even greater threat at 6-foot-5 when it comes to aerial duels in the box and as a set-piece target. Born in Brampton, Ont., David is in his fourth season in Europe and first with Union Saint-Gilloise of the Belgian Pro League. Even with the Belgian league a step up in quality from leagues in Malta and Estonia, David has been unfazed.

With 11 goals in 23 matches, David is joint-goals leader for Les Unionistes and tied for fifth in league scoring. David has recorded two braces this season, one against Genk and another versus Standard Liege. It’s easy to see why Marsch is intrigued by what the 23-year-old brings to the table.

Like Jebbison, David did not represent Canada at a youth level. Choosing to play for the country of his parents’ birth, David suited up for Nigeria at the under-2023 level. Approached by new Super Eagles manager Eric Chelle in January about his interest in playing for Nigeria at the senior level, David informed him that his priority was playing for Canada.

3 (-match undefeated streak)

Canada’s historical record against El Tri is not a flattering one.

In 35 matchups since 1957, Canada has lost 22 of them. On two occasions, Mexico has enjoyed five-game winning streaks against Canada. From 1991 to 1997, El Tri won six in a row against the CanMNT, including an 8-0 drubbing at the 1993 Gold Cup. But has a page been turned in the rivalry?

Heading into Thursday’s matchup, Canada is undefeated in its past three matches against Mexico. It was during a 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Azteca that Canada truly showed its mettle in the fall of 2021. Falling behind on a goal by Jorge Sanchez midway through the first half, Canada fought back to earn a draw thanks to a 42-minute Jonathan Osorio strike. The Toronto FC captain loves playing in Mexico, having previously scored at the Azteca while playing against Club America.

What was perhaps Canada’s most famous victory of its World Cup qualifying campaign came against Mexico at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton in front of over 40,000 a month later on a cold November evening.

After a scoreless first half, Canada came to life just after the restart. Alistair Johnston took a shot from distance with which Memo Ochoa probably had more trouble than he should, spilling a rebound at the feet of the oncoming Cyle Larin, who slotted home to make it 1-0 in the 47th.

Only minutes later, Canada would go two up. Larin got on the end of a fine Stephen Eustaquio free kick and poked past Ochoa to make it 2-0 in the 51st. In the aftermath, Sam Adekugbe performed his now infamous celebration of throwing himself into a snowbank. Hector Herrera would find the net in the 89th to make the last few minutes nervy, but Canada held on for the 2-1 win en route to reaching its first World Cup since 1986. The win over Mexico was Canada’s first since the 2000 Gold Cup.

The two teams have met once since World Cup qualifying and it was livelier than the scoreline indicated. At AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas last fall, Canada and El Tri played to a 0-0 draw that was both entertaining and chippy at times. Each team was handed three bookings apiece and each team probably thought they should have won the match. Larin was robbed by ‘keeper Luis Angel Malagon late in the first half before Canada’s Dayne St. Clair made a pair of 10-bell saves, on Santiago Gimenez and Piojo Alvarado, in the second half to preserve the draw.

15 (players in Europe)

Of Marsch’s 23-man squad, 15 players are based in Europe with the remaining eight plying their trades at Major League Soccer sides. On the other side of the pitch, 10 of Aguirre’s 23 men come from European teams with the remaining 13 selected from LigaMX sides. Does this have any bearing on anything? Maybe.

Every major league in Europe is in full swing with most heading into crunch time. There are 10 or fewer matches remaining on the league schedules in England, France, Italy, Germany and Spain. The same goes for Mexico with only five matchdays remaining in the Clausura.

The MLS season, on the other hand, is just beginning. Each MLS side has only played four matches to open their season. It only stands to reason, then, that it won’t be a level playing field when it comes to game shape.

While MLS players might have fresher legs than their counterparts from elsewhere, they haven’t been put through the rigours of a full season that those playing in Mexico and abroad have. Might a lack of game action come into play for those just starting their seasons? Certainly, that’s not something Canada can afford with one of Minnesota United’s St. Clair and Maxime Crepeau of the Portland Timbers getting the call between the wickets.