Jesse Marsch has taken Canada to the Copa America quarter-finals, and believes something special can be built ahead of the next World Cup. Look ahead to this game with our Venezuela vs Canada prediction and preview.
Venezuela vs Canada Stats: The Key Insights
- Venezuela are the favourites to advance to the semi-finals, winning this game inside 90 minutes in 48.7% of the Opta supercomputer’s 10,000 pre-match simulations.
- Venezuela have lost only two of their last 10 matches played in the United States, including friendlies, winning six of those games (D2).
- Canada are the third team from outside CONMEBOL to reach the knockout rounds in their first Copa America appearance after Mexico (1993) and Honduras (2001).
Jesse Marsch believes Canada can mount “something special” as they aim to build towards the 2026 World Cup, starting with the Copa America.
Marsch’s team somewhat surprisingly made it through Group A behind Argentina, at the expense of Chile, who won back-to-back Copa America titles as recently as 2015 and 2016.
In their maiden Copa America, Canada will now go up against Group B winners Venezuela for a place in the last four. Les Rouges are the third team from outside CONMEBOL to reach the knockout rounds in their first Copa America appearance after Mexico (1993) and Honduras (2001).
And looking ahead to the next World Cup, which Canada will co-host along with the United States and Mexico, Marsch believes the sky is the limit.
“I was thinking, ‘Why did I take this job with those three opponents [coming] up?’” Marsch joked in an interview with FOX Soccer NOW, with his team having played pre-tournament friendlies against the Netherlands and France.
“I knew when I took the job that that the schedule was going to be very difficult, and by the way – put Peru and Chile in there as well – the first five opponents I knew were going to be very difficult.
“But I thought that it would give us a chance to create really high standards for how we wanted to play and that these games would show the players that we need to uphold ourselves to very high standards. I felt that if we could execute, then we could have some success.
“There’s real excitement in Canada about the team and the way we’ve played. That comes with, I think, a real hunger to keep this thing moving forward.”
Canada have fared better than their 2026 World Cup co-hosts USA, who crashed out in the group stage.
“I would love to say I’m just focused on what we’re doing here in Canada, but obviously, I’m paying attention, as always, to the U.S. men’s national team and, like you, I’m sad,” Marsch added.
“I’m disappointed by the performances, by the lack of discipline. There’s a lot of things that I think we’ve tried to be about, about the game in the U.S., and we’ve always believed in this group of players.
“I’ll tell you: I’m glad, I’m here, man. Because the people that I work with and the players that I work with, the things that we know that we can achieve together, the support that we have from inside the country, the support system for this entire national team is so positive, so I think it gives us a real chance to develop something and build something and be ready for a big tournament come 2026.”
Canada will have their work cut out against Venezuela, though, who have lost only two of their last 10 matches played in the United States, including friendlies, winning six of those games (D2). Additionally, La Vinotinto kept a clean sheet on seven of those occasions (W5 D2), with Colombia, Italy, and Ecuador being the only teams to score against them.
Fernando Batista’s side were flawless in the group stage, beating Ecuador, Mexico and Jamaica to top Group B.
One more goal will match Venezuela’s highest scoring tally in a single edition of the tournament, having scored seven goals in the 1967 and 2011 tournaments.
Venezuela are also unbeaten in their last four matches against teams from Concacaf in this tournament (W3 D1).
Players to Watch
Venezuela – Salomón Rondón
Rondón has scored two goals at this tournament for Venezuela.
Only three players can better Rondón’s 1.98 xG across the tournament so far, while the 34-year-old has had 13 shots, which matches the total of the tournament’s leading scorer Lautaro Martínez.
Canada – Jonathan David
Canada made it through, though they did only score one goal across their three Group A games. They are the fourth team to advance from the group stage in the Copa America despite scoring only one goal, following Mexico in 2001, Uruguay in 2007, and Colombia in 2015.
That goal came from Lille striker David, who is Canada’s key attacker, and if they are to reach the last four, he is likely to be crucial.
Venezuela vs Canada Prediction
Marsch’s confidence is not shared by the Opta supercomputer, which fancies Venezuela to win in Arlington.
Batista’s side win inside 90 minutes in 48.7% of the pre-match simulations, while Canada do so in 26.9%. The game reached extra-time in the remaining 24.4%.
Including the possibility of extra-time and penalties, Venezuela went progressed from the tie in 61.2% of sims, while Canada went through in the other 38.8%.
Venezuela vs Canada Squads
Venezuela
Joel Graterol, José David Contreras, Rafael Romo, Alexander González, Christian Makoun, Jhon Chancellor, Jon Aramburu, Miguel Navarro, Nahuel Ferraresi, Wilker Ángel, Yordan Osorio, Cristian Cásseres, Daniel Pereira, Eduard Bello, José Martínez, Telasco Segovia, Tomás Rincón, Yangel Herrera, Yeferson Soteldo, Darwin Machís, Eric Ramírez, Jefferson Savarino, Jhonder Cádiz, Kervin Andrade, Matías Lacava, Salomón Rondón.
Head coach: Fernando Batista
Canada
Dayne St. Clair, Maxime Crépeau, Tom McGill, Alistair Johnston, Alphonso Davies, Derek Cornelius, Joel Waterman, Kamal Miller, Kyle Hiebert, Luc De Fougerolles, Moïse Bombito, Richie Laryea, Ali Ahmed, Ismaël Koné, Jonathan Osorio, Mathieu Choinière, Samuel Piette, Stephen Eustaquio, Cyle Larin, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Jacob Shaffelburg, Jonathan David, Liam Millar, Tajon Buchanan, Tani Oluwaseyi, Theo Bair.
Head coach: Jesse Marsch
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