Is it time to make Buchanan a lock for Canada's starting XI?

Was Tajon Buchanan's hat-trick performance enough to lock him into Steven Caldwell's starting XI?

Not just yet.

Caldwell returned with Week 12 of Race for the Roster on Monday ahead of next summer's 2026 FIFA World Cup and was effusive of praise for the 26-year-old Brampton, Ont., native's star-making turn in Villarreal's 5-0 thrashing of Girona to send the Yellow Submarine top of the table after two matches. The game was Buchanan's first since returning to Villarreal on a permanent transfer from Inter. The Syracuse product appeared in 13 matches with the club last season on loan from the Nerazzurri.

Caldwell wants to see more of the kind of performance Buchanan turned in on Sunday. After Nicolas Pepe opened the scoring in the seventh off of a terrible turnover by the Girona backline, Buchanan bagged his first in the 16th. He latched onto a fine deep ball by Santiago Mourino before putting Ladislav Krejci on skates and beating Vladyslav Krapyvtsov with a fine right-footed effort from a sharp angle.

Rafa Marin made it 3-0 in the 25th just before Buchanan notched his second and effectively put the match on ice before the half-hour mark. Taking a pass from Sergi Cardona to complete a fine passing play from Villarreal, Buchanan initially scuffed his effort. He quickly recovered, turned around and beat Krapyvtsov to make it 4-0 in the 28th.

Buchanan's magnum opus on Sunday was his third goal. Trailing Karl Etta's move forward, Buchanan followed behind and unleashed a hard, right-footed shot that stung Krapyvtsov's palms and ricocheted into the net. Could the Ukraine under-20 goalkeeper have done better? Perhaps, but it was a fine shot from Buchanan in the 64th to complete the hat-trick.

The news wasn't as good for Canadian soccer elsewhere in Spain as Cyle Larin was left out of the matchday squad by Mallorca manager Jagoba Arrasate for second straight week. Mallorca drew 1-1 with Celta Vigo for its first point of the season. Still, Caldwell isn't ready to remove Larin from his starting lineup just yet, but he cautions that Larin needs a move away from Mallorca before the close of the transfer window to maintain his place in the team alongside lock Jonathan David.

Jesse Marsch on Cyle Larin

One of Larin's staunchest defenders remains manager Jesse Marsch. Marsch appeared on the Footy Prime podcast last week and again made the case for the UConn product's continued inclusion in his team.

"I find it very disappointing and frustrating the way Canadian fans treat Cyle...He gets criticized by too many people...I really wish people would appreciate more of what he's brought to the program," Marsch said.

Race for the Roster: Week 12 - Causes for concern

Larin is not the only cause for concern in the early European season, as well as back home in Major League Soccer. Derek Cornelius, currently penciled in as Moise Bombito's partner in the centre of defence has played only a single minute of action through two matches at Marseille. With last week's incident between Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe doing little to quiet whispers that OM's dressing room is out of sorts, a loan move away for the former Vancouver Whitecaps man would behoove him.

In the midfield, Stephen Eustaquio remains a lock for Caldwell, but his place in the Porto team is under threat. Through three matches this season, Eustaquio has played a combined 92 minutes. A move away before the deadline on Sept. 1 is still a possibility for the Leamington, Ont., midfielder.

After a run of six straight starts across all competitions, Maxime Crepeau is on the outside looking in again for the Portland Timbers. Of course when Crepeau sits, that means Kirkland, Que.'s James Pantemis is preferred and he backstopped the team to a 0-0 draw with West-leading San Diego on Saturday. It will be an all-Canadian matchup in net one way or another on Saturday when the Timbers visit Dayne St. Clair and Minnesota United.

And we would be remiss if we didn't bring up the aforementioned David who made his Serie A debut for Juventus on Sunday. The former Lille man opened the scoring for the Bianconeri, slotting home from a fine pass from Kenan Yildiz in a 2-0 win over Parma. Dusan Vlahovic would add a late second. As TSN's Matt Scianitti notes, David's display will only raise expectations for the Brooklyn-born Ottawa native.

Before we take a look at Caldwell's team for Week 12, let's take a glance at the Form Tracker for the backline where Alistair Johnston has been added to the walking wounded.

Race for the Roster: Week 12 - Form Tracker (Defenders)

In the 35th minute of Celtic's 0-0 draw with Kazakh side Kairat during the first leg of their Champions League qualifying tie, Vancouver's Johnston stopped short and went to ground clutching his hamstring. He was immediately substituted for Anthony Ralston. Hoops manager Brendan Rodgers later confirmed that the Wake Forest product was expected to miss 12 weeks.

The injury is a brutal blow to the Bhoys as they looked to once again defend their Scottish Premiership crown, but it's also a big hit for Canada where now three of Caldwell's eight defensive squad members are on the shelf in locks Johnston and Moise Bombito, as well as Sam Adekugbe. Johnston's injury, the kind that can recur if not treated properly, could be a thorn in the side for Marsch and certainly Caldwell's selection. Perhaps the second-best option at right-back for Canada in Hajduk Split's Niko Sigur, but right now, Caldwell has him starting in central midfield alongside Eustaquio. This is one to watch going forward.

On to the team then, where there are no changes outside of injury designations.

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Here's what Caldwell's squad looks like in Week 12 (Note that the lock icon represents a lock for the starting XI)

Race for the Roster Week 10

Race for the Roster: Week 11 (4-4-2)

Forwards

STARTERS: Jonathan David (Juventus) and Cyle Larin (Mallorca)
BENCH: Promise David (Union SG), Daniel Jebbison (Preston North End, on loan from Bournemouth) and Tani Oluwayesi (Minnesota United)

Midfield and Defenders

STARTING MIDFIELDERS: Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) INJ, Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split), Stephen Eustaquio (Porto) and Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal)
BENCH: Jacob Shaffelburg (Nashville), Ismael Koné (Sassuolo, on loan from Marseille) Liam Millar (Hull City) INJ, Nathan Saliba (Anderlecht), Mathieu Choiniere (Los Angeles FC), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC) and Ali Ahmed (Vancouver Whitecaps)

STARTING DEFENDERS: Richie Laryea (Toronto FC), Derek Cornelius (Marseille), Moise Bombito (Nice) INJ and Alistair Johnston (Celtic) INJ
BENCH: Sam Adekugbe (Vancouver Whitecaps) INJ, Jamie Knight-Lebel (Bristol City) and Luc de Fougerolles (Dender, on loan from Fulham)

Goalkeeper

STARTER: Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United)
BENCH: Maxime Crepeau (Portland Timbers) and Tom McGill (Brighton)
IN THE HUNT: : James Pantemis (Portland Timbers) and Jonathan Sirois (CF Montreal)