USA Vs. Canada: Bad Teams Play Bad In 0-0 Draw

USA Look Downright Dismal Against Canada With Qualifiers Looming

Which Americans saw their stock go up and which saw their stock go down in the United States' 0-0 draw with Canada?

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USA Vs. Canada: Final Score, Bad Match Ends Scoreless

Coming into the United States' run of five games in a month -- three friendlies and two World Cup qualifiers -- Jurgen Klinsmann referred to the series as a five-game tournament. Through those five games, the United States have a win, a loss, and a draw. They have looked worse in each successive game. They were good against Scotland and at least had positives to take away from the loss to Brazil, but there wasn't much to like about Sunday's 0-0 draw against Canada.

Nikolas Ledgerwood had a good goal disallowed in the 34th minute for Canada, Tim Howard was forced into more saves than anyone could have reasonably expected against a Canada side that looked anything but sharp in the last round of World Cup qualifying, and Simeon Jackson missed a stoppage time sitter that would have given Canada the win. The United States had most of the possession, but Canada had the much better chances, and they weren't good by any stretch of the imagination.

With Clint Dempsey healthy for the first time this summer, Klinsmann re-introduced him into the team, but did not drop Jose Torres, who had been playing in what was presumed to be Dempsey's place. Instead, he dropped Maurice Edu, forcing Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones into more defensive roles than they played in the previous two games. They did not excel in those roles and looked nothing like the players that dominated the game against Scotland, through no fault of their own.

Clarence Goodson put together a solid performance in defense for the United States and was probably the only player who improved his standing in the team with the way he played on Sunday night. He almost stole a win with a great header from six yards out in stoppage time, just seconds after Jackson's shocking miss at the other end, but Lars Hirschfeld came up with a big save. It was the United States' best opportunity of the game by a longshot. It came from a central defender in stoppage time, which says everything about how little the United States did going forward in the match.

The United States begins their World Cup qualifying campaign on June 8 in Tampa, Florida against Antigua and Barbuda. Canada plays their first third round match in Cuba on the same day.

USA Vs. Canada: Jozy Altidore, Oguchi Onyewu Subbed On

Jozy Altidore and Oguchi Onyewu have come into the match as substitutes for the United States. If you knew this because you are watching the match then I apologize. Nobody should be watching this match.

Maybe bringing on Altidore can change things up. He entered for Jose Francisco Torres, who was dreadful, and now the U.S. is in a 4-4-2 with Altidore and Herculez Gomez up top and Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey below them. Hey, that's how Bob Bradley's U.S. team played! Be glad that the U.S. brought in the transcendent Jurgen Klinsmann.

Onyewu entered for Carlos Bocanegra, who seemed to be carrying a knock so the defensive substitution isn't too bad. The problem is that Onyewu is the man who came on despite being awful for the U.S. for two years now, most recently on Wednesday against Canada. It's not like there is a young, athletic option. Oh wait, Geoff Cameron. Sit down, Geoff, Onyewu needs another chance!

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Jermaine Jones Has Shot Blocked

The United States can attack! You are forgiven if you thought otherwise watching the first 50 minutes of them playing Canada, but it is something that can do, apparently.

After Clarence Goodson cleared the ball, Jermaine Jones got on the ball and fed Landon Donovan, who raced down the right. Donovan got down near the end line before picking his head up and spotting Jones, who had seemingly run 14 miles, at the far post and whipping in a great cross. It found Jones at the back post, who nodded the ball towards goal, but it never made it to the goal. It was blocked by a defender and the U.S. attack was thwarted. Still, it was an attack and that's something!

If you turn the match off now then nobody will judge you. it's been awful.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: No Changes In The Second Half

In another indication that the 11 players that the United States is playing tonight (with the exception of late scratch Fabian Johnson) will be the 11 that Jurgen Klinsmann starts in World Cup qualifying next week, the U.S. have not made any changes at halftime. The Americans have not been good (and that is being kind) so you would expect a substitution, but clearly this is Klinsmann's first XI and he wants them to get things going.

If the U.S. doesn't get any better soon, Jozy Altidore could get in the match, either for Herculez Gomez or for a midfielder, allowing the U.S. to play with two strikers and Donovan and Dempsey behind them. It would be, gasp, Bob Bradley-esque, but it would put more good attackers on the field. A seemingly defensive move, bringing on Maurice Edu, wouldn't be a bad idea either because it would allow Michael Bradley to get forward more.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Halftime Score, No Goals In Static Match

The United States changed their team and their formation for their friendly match against Canada, and so far they haven't seen too many positive results. There have been a couple of solid set piece opportunities and some nice attacks going through Clint Dempsey, but the USMNT have looked static for the most part. Canada doesn't have much of the ball, but they've looked like the more dangerous team so far. At halftime, the teams are locked up in a 0-0 draw at BMO Field in Toronto.

Clarence Goodson is the third central defender to get a run-out for the United States after Geoff Cameron started against Scotland and Oguchi Onyewu got a start against Brazil. He had a couple of good opportunities to score on set pieces in the opening 10 minutes of the game, but missed both of them.

Edgar Castillo learned that he'd be starting just minutes before the match started when first choice left back Fabian Johnson tweaked an injury during warm-ups. He had a strong start to the game and has been a threat going forward for the United States, but had a couple of giveaways in his own half in the final 15 minutes of the first half.

Canada's first big chance came 10 minutes into the game, through Dwyane De Rosario. After a long spell where the United States controlled possession, the Canadians got forward quickly and created an opportunity for their star. He ripped a shot from the edge of the penalty area toward the far post, but it took a slight deflection and dribbled just wide of Tim Howard's goal.

In the 34th minute, Canada had a goal controversially waived off that should have stood. Cutting in from the right flank, Nikolas Ledgerwood hit a great narrow angle shot past Howard and into the back of the net for what should have been his first career international goal, but it was waived off for a foul a couple of seconds earlier on David Edgar. The foul call was extremely soft, and the goal should have stood.

After that incident, Dempsey started to drop deeper to pick up the ball and attempt to take over a game in which his teammates had been static. He was successful in creating a couple of half-chances and helping his team to look a bit more lively, but it didn't translate to a goal. The United States has to be disappointed with the way they've played thus far, as they look nothing like the team that steamrolled Scotland.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Clint Dempsey Is Good

This Clint Dempsey fellow, he is good at soccer. The first touch, the turn, the ball, the run, all gorgeous by Dempsey and he almost got a goal as a reward.

There is no doubt that Dempsey is the United States' best player and he showed why in combining with Landon Donovan to almost score the opening goal of the game. A turn that he made look so simple is extraordinarily hard and then he fed Donovan. Donovan then played a first touch one-two with Dempsey, who was in behind the Canada defense. Dempsey got to the ball just before the goalkeeper, but the keeper was right on top of Dempsey and there to save it.

Most of the credit will go Donovan and his pass, as well as the good run by Dempsey, but don't overlook the great turn by Dempsey. That turn made the whole play possible. You know, because Dempsey is good.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

Ref Stops Game To Gaze At Andre Hainault's Underwear

USA Vs. Canada: Referee Waves Off Good Goal By Ledgerwood

Canada and Nikolas Ledgerwood should be very, very upset right now because they have been robbed of a goal. Dwayne De Rosario pressured Edgar Castillo in the corner and forced the ball free. Ledgerwood hopped on it, dribbled towards goal and beat Tim Howard with a nice, tidy finish from a sharp angle. Seems simple, right? Good job to win the ball back, good shot, good goal, Canada in front. The only problem is that the referee, under advisement of his assistant, called for a foul for ... we're not quite sure what.

The assistant referee was right in front of the play so he had a good angle, but he waved his flag for a foul that was never there. Maybe he thought De Rosario pushed Castillo, but he would be wrong. Maybe he thought that Castillo was kicked, but he would be wrong.

It was a good goal and one that the referee ruled off. Canada should be up 1-0. Instead they are rightly upset.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

Michael Bradley Is A Very Good Player, But An Average Defensive Midfielder

Michael Bradley has been arguably the United States' best player over their last two friendlies. Even in the match against Brazil where the USMNT did not control possession and spent a bit of time in their own half, Bradley did a lot of dictating the play when the United States did get the ball. With Maurice Edu holding in a 4-3-3, he had some freedom to get forward against Scotland and Brazil, and he was fantastic in both games.

This game against Canada isn't going quite as well for Bradley, and it's hardly his fault. Edu has been dropped and Bradley is sitting deep in a double pivot in the United States' 4-2-3-1. They're struggling to create chances as a team, which probably has a lot to do with the fact that Bradley's just sitting in midfield.

Michael Bradley is neither a defensive midfielder or a No. 10. He's a box-to-box player who is at his best as an energy guy with freedom to get forward in a 4-3-3. He's not terribly effective as a holding midfield player, and the United States aren't effective when they play him in that role.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Carlos Bocanegra Knocked By The Ad Boards

Oh, you devious ad boards. I'm not talking about anti-capitalism, ruining the purity of the game, deviousness or any nonsense like that. I'm talking about the fact that they are rather close to the field and a player could crash into them. Carlos Bocanegra happened to be one of those players.

The United States captain ended up in a footrace with Tosaint Ricketts for a ball near the end line, which went out for a goal kick. But after the ball went over the line, Bocanegra and Ricketts had trouble stopping. Bocanegra really, really had trouble stopping, taking an innocent, unintentional nudge from Ricketts that sent him into the ad board. He stayed down for a few seconds before getting up, clearly shaken. He's still on the field and moving around just fine, but he will have a bruise tomorrow.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Tim Howard Called Upon For First Save

Canada sure as hell isn't scared of the United States. For better or worse, they are going to try to create things going forward instead of just packing men behind the ball, which is common for inferior teams. In the 24th minute, they were also rewarded for their ambition when Tosaint Ricketts got a good shot away, but Tim Howard was there to make the save.

The play wasn't the most attractive of Canada's forays forward. It was more bang-around-in-the-box with the U.S. defenders, but it was effective. Eventually, the ball fell to Rickets, who turned and fired from close range. He hit the ball well, but it was a little but to close to Howard. The U.S. goalkeeper got down quickly to grab the shot and Ricketts was denied.

The U.S. knew they had problems in the defense and this isn't helping matters. They are falling victim to basic defensive errors, but they are not winning the balls that they should win against an inferior opponent. At some point, they are going to have to start winning the individual battles and keeping the ball clear of their own box.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

Another Note On Edgar Castillo

When Edgar Castillo has played for the United States in the past, he's been useful going forward but has looked very poor defensively at left back. He's been great going forward so far and even had a great shooting attempt, but we knew he could do that. His attacking skills aren't a concern -- it's his defense that's questionable.

At his club team, Tijuana Xolos, he plays as a wingback ahead of a three-man back line, so he has less defensive responsibility than he does with the United States. Against teams with speedy wingers who look to make runs behind the fullbacks when they get forward, he can get torched.

It looks like Canada right winger Tosaint Ricketts is either not supposed to do that or not capable of doing that, which is both good and bad for the United States. The good news is that Castillo can play his natural game tonight and he's going to look good. The bad news is we won't learn anything about whether or not he's improved defensively, and this is a friendly. The point is to learn things about your team.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Edgar Castillo Has A Go From Montreal

Edgar Castillo got a last second start when Fabian Johnson was injured during warmups and he's clearly eager to make an impact. When a corner kick was cleared out and in his direction, he decided to hit a first time volley, which sounds like a good idea. The problem is that he was so far away from goal that he might as well have been in Montreal.

Actually, Castillo hit the ball pretty well and for a split second you could have been forgiven if you had images of greatness running through your mind. It didn't look too bad. It dipped and was on frame and considering how far away he was, not much more could be asked of him. Still, it was an easy stop for the goalkeeper and the United States continued to search for their first goal. If nothing else, Castillo gets some serious audacity and ambition points.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Dwayne De Rosario Almost Shocks USMNT

The United States may intend on keeping the ball, flying forward and taking the match to Canada, but if they fall asleep at the back they will be be made to pay for it. Likely, it will be Dwayne De Rosario who will make them pay, and he almost did within the first 10 minutes.

Clarence Goodson, who has a nasty habit of being slow to step up and keep the defensive line, was very slow to get step up. That kept Canada offside and gave De Rosario a chance, who just flashed the ball wide of the post. Not only could De Rosario have scored there, but had there been someone running at the far post it could have easily been a tap in for a goal.

Nobody would argue that the U.S. is better than Canada, but the Americans have looked poor against worse teams. Usually that comes when they get lazy and sloppy at the back, like they just did.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Clarence Goodson Misses First Great Chance

It took only two minutes for the United States to get their first great chance of the match and remind Canada that they are going to have an uphill battle tonight. A corner kick made it right in front of goal, but Clarence Goodson couldn't turn it on goal and it went wide. Still, the U.S. has made it clear from the very start that they intend to take it to Canada.

Usually Goodson is very good on corner kicks, but that is with his head. This time the ball was flicked on to the front of goal with the net empty, but Goodson had to play it with his feet. It was an awkward attempt from the center back, who can't be faulted for missing the chance -- but it was a good chance and the right touch would have put the ball into the gaping goal.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

Jose Torres Is A Left Winger, USMNT Is Playing 4-2-3-1

The United States has been playing a in a 4-3-3 formation with Jose Torres -- usually a central midfielder -- on the left wing in the absence of Clint Dempsey. Dempsey is back in the lineup and Maurice Edu was dropped, not Torres. Some believed that Torres would return to midfield, but he's still on the left wing. Dempsey is playing as an attacking central midfielder behind striker Herculez Gomez in a 4-2-3-1 formation. This was their normal formation under Jurgen Klinsmann before the last two matches.

USA Vs. Canada: Match Underway In Toronto

The soccer tilt between the United States and Canada are underway at BMO Field in Toronto. The stadium isn't quite full (three-quarters full would be generous), but the supporters groups are in full voice and doing their best to out-sing each other. Right now, the U.S. fans are just a bit louder, but there is plenty of time left so we'll re-evaluate in 90 minutes.

This is a good chance for Canada to make a statement that they intend to actually compete for a spot in the World Cup after failing to make the final round of qualifying the last three World Cup cycles. They really do have something to prove here, which isn't so true for the U.S. A loss would be embarrassing, but more than anything they need to make sure they keep building the team and style that Jurgen Klinsmann is trying to implement.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Fabian Johnson Injured, Edgar Castillo Will Start

The United States spent more than a decade trying to find a left back and, once they found one, he gets hurt. Fabian Johnson, who played marvelously in the Americans' last two matches, was injured while warming up for the U.S.'s match against Canada and has been pulled from the starting lineup. Edgar Castillo, who wasn't even going to be on the bench, will start in his place.

There is no word on the severity of Johnson's injury. He could just have the slightest of knocks and doesn't think it is worth risking in a friendly, which it is not. It could also be more serious. Anything more than "he is not starting" is nothing more than speculation, but considering how long the U.S. has waited to find a left back, they are understandably freaking out by even the slightest possibility of Johnson being hurt.

On the flip side, this is a great opportunity for Castillo to prove himself. He was dreadful for a few years for club and country, but put in a great nine months for Club Tijuana this season so there is reason to have faith. There is still a question about his defense, especially considering he played for Xolos as a wingback and not a left back, but he could answer those questions in this match. At the very least he should be an asset getting forward, which the U.S. could use considering their struggles to generate width of late.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Lineups

The United States and Canada have one last friendly before World Cup qualifying begins and they are treating it as a very important tune-up. With that in mind, both teams are likely going with the team that they want to throw out there next week in qualifying.

Not much of the U.S. lineup is a surprise, with Clarence Goodson getting the nod over Geoff Cameron in the center of defense and Clint Dempsey coming in for Maurice Edu, not Jose Francisco Torres. Besides that, it is the same team that Jurgen Klinsmann selected against Brazil last Wednesday.

It will be worth watching how influential Michael Bradley can be in a holding midfield role as opposed to the more box-to-box role he enjoys and thrived in against Scotland with Edu behind him. It will also be interesting to see how Torres bounces back after a bad match against Brazil and how Landon Donovan and Dempsey combine. This is the first time they have started together since Klinsmann took over the U.S. team last August.

United States (4-2-3-1): Tim Howard; Steve Cherundolo, Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson, Fabian Johnson; Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones; Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Jose Francisco Torres; Herculez Gomez

Canada (4-3-3): Lars Hirschfeld; Ante Jazic, Andre Hainault, Kevin McKenna, David Edgar; Will Johnson, Julian de Guzman, Nikolas Ledgerwood; Dwayne De Rosario, Oliver Occean, Tosaint Ricketts

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada Preview: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The United States and Canada are the first and third most populous countries in CONCACAF and the first and third richest countries in the region. They share a border and have a lot in common, including similar growth in the sport of soccer in the last several decades. Naturally, they are bitter soccer rivals, right? Wrong.

It looks like everything is lined up for the Americans and Canadians to be soccer rivals battling it out, along with Mexico, for CONCACAF supremacy, but there's one thing getting in the way -- Canada is not very good. And not very good is a very nice way of putting it.

Despite the population, money, resources and a growing support for the sport in the country that now has three MLS teams, Canada hasn't been able to put it together and get a decent national squad. They have only qualified for one World Cup, way back in 1986, and haven't even made it to the final round of qualifying since 1998. If they can't even play well enough to get into an important match, then it is going to be tough to have any rivals at all.

All the while, the U.S. has just been getting better in the sport. They qualified for their first World Cup of the modern era in 1990, hosted the tournament in 1994, went all the way to the quarterfinals in 2002, and for most, if not all, of the 2000s were the top team in the region. They have played in the last six World Cups, have beaten some of the world powers and, all the while, have gained respect around the world.

Now the U.S. is hoping to take the next step as a national team. They want to continue to win and compete for the top spot in CONCACAF (which is currently occupied by Mexico), while also picking up results against teams from around the world and doing it while playing an attractive, attacking style of soccer. Enter Jurgen Klinsmann.

Klinsmann took over as the U.S. manager last August with the goal of developing that entertaining style of play and putting the U.S. in position to make a deep run in the 2014 World Cup. Before they can worry about the World Cup, though, they have to worry about qualifying, and that road to qualification begins next week. That means that when the U.S. takes on Canada on Sunday in Toronto, it will be their final friendly before World Cup qualifying gets underway and their final chance to fine-tune. As you might guess, it's important.

The U.S. is trying to make it to its seventh straight World Cup, while Canada is trying to make it to its second, ever. They teams have different profiles, but the same goal: to play in Brazil in the summer of 2014. The road there starts next week. Before that, though, they need to make sure they are ready, which they will do against each other on Sunday. Who knows, maybe a spirited match and a little bit of success on Canada's part in qualifying and this could finally be the rivalry it should be.

United States vs. Canada

Game Date/Time: Sunday, June 3, 7:00 p.m. ET

Venue: BMO Field, Toronto, Canada

TV: NBC Sports Network (USA), Sportsnet (Canada)

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Canucks Have An Uphill Climb To The 2014 World Cup

Canada has only once qualified for the World Cup, back in 1986 so they are not exactly used to soccer success. Even so, their recent run has been extraordinarily bad as they have failed to even qualify for the final round of World Cup qualifying since 1998 so before they can even think about qualifying for the 2014 World Cup they just need to get to the final round.

Next week, they will begin the third round of World Cup qualifying in a four-team group that they will need to finish in the top two of to book a spot in the final round of qualifying. The Canucks got a pretty favorable draw, being grouped with Honduras, Cuba and Panama to give them a real shot at finishing in the top two. Honduras is obviously the favorite, but second place is up for grabs and Canada rightly feels, "why not us?".

Canada will finish their preparations for World Cup qualifying on Sunday when they host the United States at BMO Field in Toronto. The match is also a celebration of the Canadian Soccer Association's centennial, although more focus will be on whether or not the team is ready to compete for a spot in the World Cup. The Americans will provide the Canadians with a stiff test and a good barometer for where they are. Playing at home, Canada cannot get blown away and think it is ready to compete in qualifying.

The first matter of business for Canada will be getting healthy. Josh Simpson is already ruled out for a while after breaking his leg, while Canada manager Stephen Hart said that two other players were also battling injuries, although he refused to name which two.

With Dwayne De Rosario leading the way, Canada has a player who can go out and win a match on his own, but they will need more than him to get things done. That means getting healthy, getting Simeon Jackson to translate his club form for Norwich into goals for Canada and getting results against the lowly teams that they have stumbled against in the past. It has been 26 long years since Canada's lone appearance in the World Cup and with the sport growing in the country, as evidence by their three MLS teams, it is time for the results to start matching the team's potential.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Time For The Dempsey And Donovan Show At Last

You are forgiven if you thought that Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan are conspiring to keep you from seeing them play together. Ever since Jurgen Klinsmann took over as United States manager last August, the two have taken turns being hurt or resting so they were never on the field together. They finally played together on Wednesday for a short time when Dempsey came off the bench, but it wasn't for long and they couldn't really get much going.

On Sunday, the wait for the Dempsey and Donovan Show should end. Dempsey appears to be getting back to full fitness and ready to start, which means that he and Donovan will make their very first start together under Klinsmann, now 10 months after the German took the manager job.

Exactly how Klinsmann wants to play the two together remains a question. In their short time against Brazil on Wednesday, the U.S. was in a 4-4-2, but that doesn't appear to be the favored formation of Klinsmann, so that match provides no insight into how he will play the two.

Klinsmann has preferred to play with a five-man midfield, but, of course, there are a lot of variations of that. He could continue playing the 4-3-2-1 that he has played in the last two matches with Dempsey and Donovan as the two. The problem with that is that Dempsey is not playing as a true "number 10" then, which seems foolish considering his quality. If he does play in that central number 10 role then the team ends up extremely unbalanced, and while Klinsmann has turned to unbalanced formations in the past, that would be more unbalanced than even he would like.

Another option is to play a 4-2-3-1 (or 4-4-1-1 depending on how you look at it), with Dempsey in the middle and Donovan outside. That would force Jose Francisco Torres into a truly wide position, though, which isn't exactly his best place.

However Klinsmann deploys Donovan and Dempsey, they will not be far away, and their ability to combine will give the U.S. the type of threat that they have been looking for under Klinsmann, but haven't gotten with any consistency. For a team committed to keeping the ball, but which has struggled at times in turning possession into chances, the opportunity to put the two of them out there together has to have Klinsmann salivating.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada: Jozy Altidore's Status Still Unclear

Jozy Altidore hasn't played in the United States' friendlies against Scotland and Brazil and he might not play against Canada either. The American striker is struggling to regain fitness after the end of his club season and as of yesterday, U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann wasn't sure what, if any part Altidore would play against the Canucks.

Klinsmann said on Saturday that Altidore could be an option for him, either as a starter or off of the bench, but he refused to commit to Altidore's playing. That, he said, was still up in the air.

With the Canada match being the Americans' last friendly before World Cup qualifying starts, getting Altidore in the match is very important. One, the striker needs to play in an actual match to get match fit. Two, he is the top choice for the U.S. at striker and as Klinsmann continues to remake the way that his squad plays, he needs to have his top striker learning the system and how to play with his teammates as the team grows.

If Altidore cannot play against Canada, it might put his status for next week's two World Cup qualifiers in doubt. Throwing in a player who hasn't played in a month into a qualifier would asking a lot, meaning that Herculez Gomez or Terrence Boyd would have to start. Both have played well in the last two matches, but Gomez is still better off with a striker partner than as a long striker and Boyd is still young and inexperienced.

Make sure to check out the U.S. vs. Canada StoryStream for all of your pre-match, live and post-match coverage.

USA Vs. Canada, 2012 International Friendly: The Last One That Doesn't Count

The United States heads to Canada for their final friendly before World Cup qualifying.