For both the USMNT and Canada, the Nations League third-place match has nearly as much at stake as the tournament finaleLOS ANGELES – In an unexpected way, Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. men’s national team actually got exactly what they was looking for: a competitive game with real stakes. Canada, CONCACAF Nations League, Sunday – only the kickoff will be in the afternoon local time, not the prime-time slot.This won’t be a tournament final – rather, the third-place game. There will be no trophy to lift. The USMNT’s 1-0 loss to Panama in the semifinals Thursday ensured that. It also ensured that, for the first time in this competition’s four-year history, someone other than the U.S. will be the champion – either Mexico or Panama.Tough pill to swallow.Yet … this isn’t a normal third-place game. These are typically after-thought affairs, a chance for rotation after a deflating defeat. Not this time. This game is suddenly pressure-packed, with nearly as much on the line as the tournament finale – or perhaps more. Both the U.S. and Canada have so much to prove, so much to show after their semifinal defeats.The U.S. will need to show something different. They were flat and uninspired against Panama, despite all that was at stake. They can’t afford that again. Pochettino will likely make changes, but there is a question of who and how many. He’ll need Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie his stars to help his team play their way out of this self-inflicted mess.GOAL takes a look at five key storylines as the USMNT take on Canada at 6 pm ET at SoFi Stadium.
