Kone scores, then gets sent off as Canadian men's soccer team beats Venezuela
CBC
Canada heads into the World Cup year on the back of a win — and moving in the right direction, according to coach Jesse Marsch.
Ismael Kone scored a goal in the first half and was shown a red card in the second as Canada closed out its 2025 schedule with a 2-0 win over Venezuela on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in an ill-tempered match that saw both teams finish with 10 men.
Substitute Promise David added a late goal as the Canadian men improved to 7-2-5 in 2025 with two of those draws turning into penalty shootout losses (against the Ivory Coast at the Canadian Shield Tournament, and Guatemala in the Gold Cup quarterfinal).
Kone's goal ended a 342-minute Canadian drought dating back to Derek Cornelius' highlight-reel free kick score in a 1-0 win over Wales on Sept. 9.
"We got two goals, but I do think that this team has more quality with the ball in it and more ability in the last third [of the field] to make more chances," said Marsch. "But at the same time the thing that they always deliver is intensity and belief and aggressiveness."
"There's more work to be done, but we've made a lot of progress, specifically in these last three months," he added.
It was a fifth shutout in the last six games for Canada, which has outscored the opposition 6-1 over that (3-1-2) stretch.
Next up is the Dec. 5 World Cup draw in Washington, D.C.
There are just two FIFA international windows — March 23-31 and June 1-9 — ahead of the June 11 kickoff of the World Cup. Marsch has said he hopes to hold a camp in January.
Canada, ranked 28th in the world, led 1-0 after a choppy first half before a small crowd at Chase Stadium, home of Inter Miami. While No. 50 Venezuela had 62 per cent possession, it didn't lead to much with Canada holding a 5-2 edge in shots (2-1 in shots on target) in the first 45 minutes.
Kone opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after winning a free kick just inside the Venezuelan half. Richie Laryea's ensuing cross bounced off a defender to an unmarked Kone whose deflected shot beat Venezuela 'keeper Jose Contreras for his fourth goal in 37 Canada appearances.
David capped off a counter attack in the 83rd minute, knocking home a Niko Sigur cross for his third Canada goal.
Venezuela was reduced to 10 men in the 57th minute when substitute David Martinez, a 19-year-old winger with Los Angeles FC, was shown a straight red for lashing out at Laryea after the two tangled on the ball.
American referee Rubiel Vazquez sent Kone off three minutes later for a high boot that caught Kevin Kelsy as the Canadian looked to bring down a high ball.
