U.S. Beats Canada to Win CONCACAF Nations League Title

The Stars and Stripes have now won three straight continental trophies.

Folarin Balogun and Chris Richards scored their first international goals, both off assists from Gio Reyna, and the United States beat Canada 2–0 on Sunday night for the Americans’ second straight CONCACAF Nations League title.

Richards scored in the 12th minute from a corner kick and Balogun, who debuted in Thursday's 3–0 win over Mexico after choosing to play for the U.S. over England, doubled the lead in the 34th.

The Americans were again led by interim coach B.J. Callaghan, who took over May 30 and will also run the team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup starting next weekend. Gregg Berhalter, brought back as coach Friday nearly six months after his contract was allowed to expire, won’t be on the sidelines until September exhibitions.

While the U.S. extended its home unbeaten streak against Canada to 22 games dating to 1957, Canada remained without a title since the 2000 Gold Cup.

Reyna sparked both goals, then left at halftime with a calf injury and was replaced by Luca de a Torre. 

A corner kick from Reyna found an unmarked Richards, who bounced a header from seven yards to the left of goalkeeper Milan Borjan for his first goal in 10 international appearances. The Americans had not scored from a corner kick since Jordan Morris's goal at El Salvador last June.

Reyna later fed Balogun for the second goal, with Balogun holding off Scott Kennedy with his right arm to slot past Borjan.

Berhalter benched Reyna during December’s World Cup due to a lack of hustle. He then revealed at a leadership conference, in comments that were supposed to be off the record, that he’d considered sending a player home due to attitude problems, which was surmised to be Reyna. In retaliation, the player’s family then tipped off U.S. Soccer about a domestic incident between Berhalter and his wife when they were dating in college, creating the controversy that led to Berhalter's temporary departure.

Callaghan made three changes from Thursday, inserting central defender Walker Zimmerman for Miles Robinson and midfielder Brendon Aaronson and right back Joe Scally for Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest, both suspended after getting red cards against El Tri.