Canada’s soccer win over U.S. is first in 34 years

The U.S. men’s soccer team lost to Canada for the first time in 34 years, allowing second-half goals to Alphonso Davies and Lucas Cavallini in a 2-0 defeat Tuesday night in Toronto in the CONCACAF Nations League.

A little over two years after the Americans failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup by losing at Trinidad and Tobago, they saw their 17-match unbeaten streak against their northern neighbor come to an end.

“The first thing that stands out to me is desire, the desire of Canada,” said U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter. “Give them credit, but having said that, the minimum we expect is to match that. We need to compete on every single play in games like that, and that’s important. I don’t think it was lack of effort, I don’t think it was purposeful, but I wasn’t happy with the desire that we displayed.

Davies turned in a cross from Scott Arfield. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen put a palm up to block Davies’ shot but the ball still dropped over the line as Canada’s players rushed to join Davies for a raucous celebration.

Cavallini added a 90th-minute goal for 75th-ranked Canada, taking a long pass and beating Steffen to the near post with a low shot.

Christian Pulisic had a point-blank shot saved by goalkeeper Milan Borjan in the 51st minute.

The 21st-ranked U.S., coming off last week’s opening 7-0 home rout of Cuba, had nine wins and eight draws against Canada since a 2-0 exhibition defeat at Vancouver, British Columbia, in April 1985.

Canada is trying to climb into the top six in the region in FIFA rankings, which will be used next summer to determine the nations in the hexagonal that will produce the three direct qualifiers from the North and Central American and Caribbean region for the 2022 World Cup.

The U.S. and Canada meet again Nov. 15 at...