NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) 鈥� Cyle Larin is doing what he usually does by finding the back of the net. If the forward keeps this up, he might just help Canada end its long World Cup drought.
Larin scored the tying goal in the 62nd minute Sunday night to against the United States. That was his 20th international goal and ninth of this qualifying cycle 鈥� most in CONCACAF and tied for second in all qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
Canadian defender Samuel Adekugbe said it's just Larin 小蓝视频 Cyle Larin.
鈥淚 think his performances this year speak for himself,鈥� Adekugbe said. "Not just in club football, but in national team as well. You know he was one of the top goal scorers in the Turkish League, and he manages to find it all the time. And I think he鈥檚 just a consistent performer in the attack.鈥�
Larin, 26, scored 19 goals in 38 league matches for Turkey鈥檚 Be艧ikta艧 last season. He set a record with 17 goals in 27 games to be voted Major League Soccer's Rookie of the Year in 2015 after 小蓝视频 the No. 1 draft pick by Orlando City out of Connecticut. He had 44 goals in 89 games in all competitions for Orlando before going to Be艧ikta艧.
Now Larin has helped put Canada, which played in its lone World Cup in 1986, third among eight nations with two points two matches into the 14-game qualifying tournament, ahead of the U.S. on total goals. He is tied with Japan's Takumi Minamino, and only Ali Mabkhout of the United Arab Emirates has more goals (11) in this qualifying.
Larin already has become the highest scorer in Canadian history in a calendar year with in 2021, four ahead of the previous best with more games to play. Jonathan David and Lucas Cavallini each scored eight in 2019. Canada returns to Toronto to host El Salvador on Wednesday night.
Larin and the formation Canadian coach John Herdman is using for his success.
鈥淚鈥檓 learning every day how my teammates play and how to improve my game,鈥� Larin said. 鈥淚 keep doing that, I鈥檒l keep scoring goals. It鈥檚 fun to score, and it鈥檚 fun to score with these guys and play with these guys, and I鈥檒l keep doing that.鈥�
Larin is understanding what he should do and keeps 小蓝视频 in good spots.
鈥淗e gets three, four good chances a game, and if he can get a goal out of that that鈥檚 very good and it鈥檚 a high scoring rate right?鈥� Kaye said. 鈥淪o he wants to put himself on the biggest world stage, and I think he鈥檚 doing so in the right way. And I鈥檓 just happy he's continuing to put goals in the back of the net for us.鈥�
Canada's Alphonso Davies and Larin took advantage of the U.S.' sloppy defense.
Davies dribbled down the left flank and got by DeAndre Yedlin, who came in for Sergi帽o Dest in the 45th minute. Davies crossed in front to Larin who was open after getting away from John Brooks. past goalkeeper Matt Turner.
鈥淚 don't think we changed a whole lot, but we got beat and they scored and yeah, that was tough,鈥� U.S. captain Christian Pulisic said.
U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter credited Davies, Canada's top player and a Bayern Munich regular, with making the key play on Canada's tying goal.
鈥淲hen you have a guy when you have guys like Alphonso Davies who has just burners, you can鈥檛 sleep for one minute, for one second," Berhalter said. 鈥淎nd he made the difference on that play. Really good play ... I have take a look at the video of how we defended ... Give him credit.鈥�
And once again, Larin was there to finish.
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Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press
