Canada eyes first Copa points against Peru at 6pm ET on TSN

Canada looks for its first points of Copa America on Tuesday night when action shifts to Kansas as they take to the pitch against Peru in Group A play.

The CanMNT was a 2-0 loser to Copa holders Argentina on Matchday 1. But there were plenty of positives to take away from the loss and Jesse Marsch will hope to use those to build momentum heading into the Peru match. The game, played at Sporting Kansas City's home grounds of Children's Mercy Park, could determine just how long Canada sticks around Copa. A loss on Tuesday and Canada's tournament ends after three games.

You can catch Peru vs. Canada from Copa America LIVE on Tuesday with coverage getting underway at 5pm et/2pm pt on across the TSN Network, streaming on TSN.ca and the TSN App.

With strong performances from goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau and centre-back Moise Bombito in the back, Canada looked to be just as likely to score as the Albiceleste for large stretches of the match. The Reds simply could not capitalize on a number of fine chances. Argentina earned the win with a 49th-minute marker from Manchester City's Julian Alvarez and an 88th-minute insurance goal from Lautaro Martinez of Inter.

"In the first half we did well defensively and we had a couple of chances but at this level you have to finish your chances," captain Alphonso Davies said after the loss. "If you make mistakes they punish you, and that’s what they did today."

Canada thought they had a penalty in the 70th when Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez took down Jacob Shaffelburg on the edge of the area. No foul was called on the play and a VAR check showed that contact occurred outside of the area.

“Just call it a foul," Canada manager Jesse Marsch said after the match. "And then you can decide later, is it outside the box or is it inside the box? But it’s a foul. It’s 100 per cent a foul. But the reason [the referee] didn’t call the foul was because he was worried it might be penalty."

Nashville's Shaffelburg felt there was a foul on the play, as well.

“He certainly made contact with me,” Shaffelburg said. “I feel like it was a foul and a few of the Argentina guys knew it was a foul, too, so it’s just a tough situation.”

Canada will be buoyed by what Crepeau was able to do for vast swathes of the match and that's keep his team in the game. Twice the Portland Timbers No. 1 was able to deny Lionel Messi from close range, first with a diving stop in the 65th and then forcing a chip wide in the 79th by running out to cut the angle. Crepeau rewarded the faith of Marsch who handed him the start over Minnesota United's Dayne St. Clair.

Peru is also looking for their first win of the tournament following a scoreless draw with Chile on Matchday 1. Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was the star man, making four saves in the game. Chile carried 65 per cent of the possession, but rarely troubled Peru. Peru is now unbeaten in its last six matches.

Of greatest concern for manager Jorge Fassati will be the health of veteran defender Luis Advincula. The Boca Juniors man came off in the 35th in against Chile with what appeared to be an Achilles injury. Feyenoord's Marcos Lopez came on to replace Advincula and will be in line for a spot in the starting XI should Advincula not be fit.

Canada and Peru have met just twice before with the last meeting coming back in 2010. In 1988, Canada was a 3-1 victor in Lima on goals from John Catliff, Nick De Santis and Lyndon Hooper. Then at Toronto's BMO Field in 2010, Peru were 2-0 winners. Of the two teams that played that day, only Advincula and Carlos Zambrano are on current rosters.

POTENTIAL PERU XI (3-5-2): Pedro Gallense; Miguel Araujo, Carlos Zambrano, Alex Callens; Andy Polo, Sergio Pena, Wilder Cartagena, Piero Quispe, Marcos Lopez; Gianluca Lapadula, Edson Flores

POTENTIAL CANADA XI (4-4-2): Maxime Crepeau; Alistair Johnston, Derek Cornelius, Moise Bombito, Alphonso Davies; Tajon Buchanan, Ismaël Koné, Stephen Eustáquio, Liam Millar; Jonathan David, Cyle Larin