Peru vs Canada

Children’s Mercy Park sets the stage for a must-win Copa America 2024 Group A encounter between Peru and Canada.

Peru’s Group A campaign was off to a torrid start as they shared the spoils with Chile in a tepid 0-0 draw, putting themselves in a must-win situation ahead of this game. Failing to beat Canada would probably leave Peru’s hopes of reaching the Copa America semi-finals for the third consecutive time in tatters, with World champions Argentina waiting in the wings. Despite drawing with the Chileans, Jorge Fossati’s men will still take the field in high spirits, buoyed by three successive clean sheets and a six-game unbeaten streak (W3, D3). However, they’ve ominously failed to win their last three matches at the tournament (D1, L2), and to end that barren run, they must beat Canada at long odds, just as they did in their only previous meeting in 2010 (2-0).

On the other hand, Canada fought stoically in their first-ever match at Copa America but ultimately slipped to a 2-0 defeat to reigning holders Argentina. Problems continue to pile up for new manager Jesse Marsch after the Canucks registered a third scoring blank on the trot since beating Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 in March (D1, L2). Avoiding defeat in this match-up would keep Canada’s hopes of reaching the knockouts alive, and history suggests they’re well-positioned to do just that. Marsch’s men haven’t lost back-to-back competitive outings since their dreadful group-stage elimination at the FIFA World Cup in 2022. As only three of Peru’s last 17 internationals have seen both teams score, breaking the deadlock could be a catalyst to inspire Canada to an all-important win in Kansas City.