USMNT player ratings vs. Canada: Justin Ellis' gutsy goal the difference

The U.S. men's national team concluded a perfect four-match international window with a 1-0 win over Canada in a friendly in Minnesota on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Mauricio Pochettino again rotated heavily to give

his full compliment of player a chance for minutes. Mathis Albert, Brooklyn Raines, and Justin Ellis were the young prospects handed a start to wrap up this extended international window.

After a feisty and contentious start to the match between rivals, Ellis, playing with an injury sustained earlier in the first half, turned in an Alex Freeman cross to open the scoring in the 29th minute. It was his second career USMNT goal after scoring in his debut to begin this four-match span.

The benches were utilized heavily by both sides in the second half in an attempt to get players some experience. That resulted in some disjointed play at both ends with scoring chances being rare. Eventually, the U.S. saw out the clean sheet and victory over their northern rivals.

Let's take a look at how the U.S. players performed in the win:

USMNT player ratings

GK: Brian Schwake - 7

While he didn't have the highlight-reel moment like Diego Kochen against Mexico, Schwake did what needed to be done and didn't hurt his team with poor mistakes or bad decisions. You can't ask for much more.

RB: Alex Freeman - 8.5

It was another blinding performance for the fullback, who is challenging for title of best player on the national team. Everything he does on the field currently is coming off positively. His interchanging and crisp passing on the goal was a thing of beauty. If he keeps up this level, it's hard to see him not ending up at a big club in the near future.

CB: Chris Richards - 7.5

He's simply a rock. Playing all 90 minutes, he never really put a foot wrong. It's been a while since the USMNT had a center back they could rely on like this.

CB: George Campbell - 7

Defensively he is quite competent. Where things become a bit more questionable is when the ball is at his feet. If he can improve in that area, perhaps he makes a strong claim for the full-time job beside Richards.

LB: Auston Trusty - 6.5

It was interesting to see Trusty deployed as a traditional left back in the first half. He looked awkward at times, especially going forward. If he needed to play there in a competitive match he could do a job for a defensive-minded approach. He looked much more comfortable when the U.S. switched to a three-back in the second half.

CM: Brooklyn Raines - 6

He's just not a player that's going to wow you with his highlight-reel moments. However, there's always room for someone in the midfield who doesn't make many mistakes and keeps the ball moving. That's exactly what Raines brings to the table.

CM: Yunus Musah - 6

After a scintillating substitute performance against Mexico, Musah wasn't able to care over that momentum in this start. His 45 minutes wasn't anything concerning, but he didn't stand out either. If he's going to work his way back up the pecking order, he needs to take advantage of chances like this.

CM: Malik Tillman - 5.5

While he played a big role in the goal, combining with Freeman to open up space, it was a down tick in performance compared to the rest of the window. Tillman looked a bit off the pace for the majority of his time on the field, misplacing key passes and wasting possession.

RW: Gio Reyna - 6.5

It was a relatively quiet 45 minutes for Gio, but he still offered some moments of inspiration for the attack. We can only hope this successful window is finally a springboard to bigger things in the future for him at the club and international levels.

LW: Mathis Albert - 5

After scoring earlier in the window, Albert got the chance to make an impact from the opening whistle in this one. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to do so on the left wing. He was rarely involved and when he did have space to work in, the 17-year-old didn't cause many issues for Canada.

ST: Justin Ellis - 7

It was unfortunate for Ellis to pick up an injury and have to play at weakened capacity for his final 25 minutes. However, he showed incredible toughness to finish the first half and score goal. It's tough to judge him on his overall performance as he was trying to walk off a knock. However, you can never argue with finding the back of the net.

The @OrlandoCitySC connection in full flow.

FREEMAN TO ELLIS TO PUT US IN FRONT!#USMNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/rlULMkHemx
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) October 7, 2026

Sub: Julian Hall - 5

The goal streak ends at three. While that's disappointing, he still got in some good spots with his great movement and running off the ball. The finishing needs to improve on the one-v-one chances.

Sub: Sebastian Berhalter - 5

Uncharacteristically unnoticeable after coming on at halftime. To be fair, the intensity of the match died down considerably after the hot start.

Sub: Sergiño Dest - 5

Came on as a left-sided wingback as the team switched formations. He really didn't get much of a chance to make an impact.

Sub: Tyler Adams - 5.5

Immediately got stuck into a challenge to introduce himself to the match. He wasn't going to let a matchup with Canada go by without leaving a small mark.

Sub: Cole Campbell - 5

On his national team debut, Campbell got a few chances on the ball to show his talent. It was a little bit of baby deer on ice at times, but he clearly has some skills for the future.