Justin Ellis scores as US beats Canada 1-0 in St. Paul friendly

Ellis, playing through an ankle injury, gave the US a 29th‑minute lead in the match that completed their four‑win international window.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 07 Oct 2026 04:18:07 GMT

Teenager Justin Ellis scored the only goal as the United States defeated Canada 1-0 in a friendly in St. Paul, Minnesota on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, according to both the Canadian Press and the Associated Press.

What happened

The match began with both sides fielding youthful line‑ups; the U.S. starting eleven averaged 21 caps and 23 years, 156 days of age. In the 29th minute, Ellis, a 19‑year‑old forward for Orlando City SC, received a give‑and‑go pass from Alex Freeman and tapped the ball past Canadian goalkeeper Brian Schwake to give the Americans the lead. Ellis sustained an ankle injury midway through the first half but remained on the pitch and saw out the game. Canada’s vice‑captain Stephen Eustaquio left the field after the first half with a collarbone injury.

What the reports add

The Canadian Press noted that Ellis stayed in the game despite the ankle injury and highlighted Canada’s early chances, including two shots by Jacob Shaffleburg in the 16th minute.
The Associated Press emphasized that the win was the United States’ fourth straight victory in the international window, bringing the team’s tally to 11‑3 across the four friendlies against Chile, Peru, Mexico and Canada.
AP detailed that Brian Schwake earned the clean sheet, making three saves and tipping a Luc de Fougerolles strike onto the crossbar in the 63rd minute.
Both outlets reported that Ellis had previously scored the opening goal in a 2‑0 win over Peru on Sept. 26, marking his second goal in three national‑team appearances.
The Canadian Press described Canada’s subsequent schedule: a two‑legged CONCACAF Nations League quarter‑final against Guatemala in November.

What was said

No direct quotations from players or coaches appeared in either article; the coverage focused on factual description of the match events.

How it came about

The friendly was part of a series of matches Canada scheduled to assess progress toward its FIFA top‑24 ranking goal outlined in Felo’s Sep. 25 coverage. The United States used the window to evaluate younger talent ahead of upcoming competitive fixtures, a strategy reflected in the squad’s low‑average‑caps lineup and the six changes made by coach Mauricio Pochettino before the prior 3‑0 win over Mexico.

Key facts

Justin Ellis scored in the 29th minute to give the United States a 1-0 win over Canada. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Ellis, 19, played through an ankle injury sustained in the first half. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Canada’s vice‑captain Stephen Eustaquio left the match with a collarbone injury. (winnipegfreepress.com)