Canada showed some real bite on Tuesday night, standing toe-to-toe with South American powerhouse Colombia in a hard-fought 0–0 draw at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey.

And this wasn’t just any friendly — it was a test of how far the 26th-ranked Canadian squad has come against one of the world’s hottest teams.

⚽ A Battle from the Start

From the opening whistle, both sides went all in — literally. Twenty-three fouls in the first half alone. No one was backing down.

Canada’s Stephen Eustaquio ran the midfield like a general, while Tajon Buchanan kept Colombian defenders busy on the wings. Buchanan even forced a highlight-reel save from goalkeeper Álvaro Montero in the 28th minute after a long-range rocket that had real swerve.

Colombia, led by Bayern Munich star Luis Díaz, brought their trademark flair in the second half. Díaz nearly broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, and later substitute Rafael Santos Borré saw his header fly just wide in the 88th.

But Canada held firm — thanks in part to goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, who made key late stops and might’ve even gotten fingertips on a last-gasp Colombian shot that bounced off the post.

🧱 Defence First, but Confidence Growing

It wasn’t a flashy night for Canada’s attack, though Jonathan David thought he’d scored in the 76th minute — only for the offside flag to ruin the party. Still, Jesse Marsch’s side looked composed, disciplined, and ready to mix it up with the big names.

Compared to their 1–0 loss to Australia last week, this performance felt like a solid bounce-back — one that showed real growth and defensive maturity.

🌎 What’s Next

This was just the first of three South American tests to close out the year. Canada will face:

• 🇪🇨 Ecuador on November 13 at Toronto’s BMO Field

• 🇻🇪 Venezuela on November 18 in Fort Lauderdale

If the draw against Colombia is any indication, the Canadians are learning fast — and proving they belong on the pitch with some of the best in the world.

🔥 Final Thought

It wasn’t a goal-fest, but this was the kind of gritty, determined performance that builds belief. Against a side fresh off a 4–0 win over Mexico, Canada earned every bit of respect.

They didn’t win on the scoreboard — but they definitely scored some points where it counts.