Maxime Crepeau will backstop Canada at the FIFA World Cup.
Head coach Jesse Marsch confirmed Crepeau as Canada’s starting goalkeeper on Thursday after he split time in with Dayne St. Clair in Monday’s friendly against Uzbekistan.
Crepeau is now expected to start Canada’s friendly against Ireland on Friday, which will serve as Canada’s final tune-up ahead of next Friday’s World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Max’s maturity and experience, I think, is exactly what we need in the goal, along with all of his goalkeeping qualities,” Marsch said of his decision.
Wait continues on Flores replacement
While Marsch made one lineup choice on Thursday, he said he will continue to delay his decision on who will replace injured forward Marcelo Flores until after their friendly against Ireland.
Canada has until June 11 at 3 p.m. ET to name his replacement.
Marsch did highlight the play of Jayden Nelson, who scored Canada’s second goal in their 2-0 win over Uzbekistan, as he discussed filling the spot.
Flores suffered a ruptured ACL on Saturday, just one day after he was named to Canada’s roster. He sustained the injury while playing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup with his Mexican club Tigres UNAL.
Crepeau gets nod over St. Clair
The starting goalkeeper decision has loomed for Marsch for months, with little to separate Crepeau and St. Clair, who is the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.
“For whoever Jesse picks, the other person always supports in that role and, of course, it’s difficult at times because it’s no secret we’re both competitors and we want to be the one who play,” St. Clair said of Crépeau earlier this year. “But at the same time, I think there’s a lot of respect between us and I think that’s why we’ve been able to handle the situation so well with the respect we have for each other as people.”
Goalkeeper Owen Goodman is also part of Canada’s World Cup roster but was not considered to be in the running for the starting role.
The decision allows Crepeau to live out his World Cup dream on the field after missing out in 2022 in heartbreaking fashion.
Only weeks before it was set to begin, Crepeau ruled out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar when he broke his leg during the MLS Cup Final that his Los Angeles FC would go on to win on penalties.
The 32-year-old Crepeau is the most senior of Canada’s three goalkeeping options.
