Alphonso Davies is still a few weeks shy of his 21st birthday, but the he’s already a full-grown footballer on the pitch. A star in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich, he’s quickly become the most important player on Canada’s men’s national team. On Thursday, during his first trip to the famed Azteca Stadium, he set a Canadian record, becoming the team’s all-time assists leader in just his 26th cap.
Davies set up Jonathan Osorio for a 42nd-minute equalizer as Canada clawed its way to a 1-1 draw with Mexico, just the Canucks’ third point earned in World Cup qualifying on the road in Mexico. Canada became the first nation ever to take points on the road from the U.S. and Mexico in the final round of World Cup qualifying.
A left back for Bayern, Davies plays a bit of everything for Canada, including left-sided midfielder and left winger. He’s given the freedom to cut inside and help create offense, which is exactly what he did in the 42nd minute on Thursday. Davies found space about 25 yards from goal before picking out a perfect pinpoint pass to Osorio.
The helper gave Davies 14 in 26 appearances for his national team, more assists than anyone else in the history of the Canada men’s national team and equal with Junior Hoilett.
Alphonso Davies Assists For Canada
View this post on Instagram
Not bad for a 20-year-old.
Hoilett, a 31-year-old who has carved out a long career for himself in England, was not in the 21-man roster for Canada but is available for selection in the next two matches against Jamaica and Panama, so he could conceivably retake the assists crown. He’s also No. 10 on the scoring chart with 13 in 39 matches, including four in 2021.
I’m a bit surprised Dwayne De Rosario isn’t higher on the assists list with just 13 helpers in his long, 81-cap Canada career. The former MLS playmaker does own the Canadian record for most goals with 22, though Cyle Larin is hot on his heels with 20 at the age of 26. Then there’s Jonathan David, the 21-year-old Lille star who has 16 goals in 20 appearances and looks likely to shatter the nation’s men’s scoring record. (No one is catching Christine Sinclair’s record for international goals for Canada, as she owns the all-time world record with an unthinkable 187.)
Davies also has nine goals to his name to go along with those 14 Canada assists. He probably should’ve added a 10th but couldn’t quite get his foot around a first-half cross on Thursday.
Here are the full highlights from the match, in which Canada actually led Mexico in expected goals 1.64-0.85.
Canada’s golden generation is doing things the men’s team hasn’t done in decades, if ever.
The last time the Canucks earned a point during World Cup qualifying in Mexico was 1980. It looked something like this, a 1-1 draw in 1980.
Canada travels to Kingston, Jamaica, to play Sunday before returning home to host Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
