USA and Canada have played the same two opponents this window, Peru and Chile, and came away with very different-looking results: USA 4-1 and 4-2, Canada 2-0 and 1-0. The easy read is "USA score, Canada defend". I think the more useful detail is when the goals came. USA scored first in both games but were level at half-time in both (1-1 each), and pulled away only later. Canada were in front at the break both times, and their Chile clean sheet was played mostly against ten men.
The numbers, all from our match records. USA v Peru: USA scored in the 4th minute, Peru equalised in the 15th, and it stayed 1-1 to the break before USA won 4-1. USA v Chile: USA led in the 37th, Chile equalised in first-half stoppage time and went 2-1 up in the 49th, then USA scored three, the last in stoppage time. The match stats show 18 shots to 17 and Chile with 13 corners, so that 4-2 was less one-sided than the score suggests. USA v Mexico (3-0): 1-0 at the break, and Mexico had a player sent off in the 67th minute, with USA's third coming after that.
Canada v Chile: a goal in the 12th minute, and Chile were down to ten from the 35th. Canada v Peru: 2-0 at half-time. Neither game shows how Canada defend when they are not ahead, and that is what this friendly will test. In the World Cup loss to Morocco in July, Canada had 10 shots to 5 and still conceded three, two of them after the 80th minute.
So the question I'd watch is how USA's habit of giving the lead straight back and then finishing strongly meets a side that has been scoring first. If Canada get the opener, USA's late surge has a different shape to chase. If they don't, Canada haven't yet shown us a game where they had to protect a level score. Squad injury flags exist on both sides (Tillman was substituted off hurt against Mexico; for Canada, Johnston and Bombito are flagged), but none of it is confirmed as an absence, so I wouldn't lean on it.
