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The CONCACAF upstarts could barely have played any better, but still left without any points.

It was one of those games that left all involved wondering what just happened.

Canada, playing in their first World Cup since 1986, entered the tournament as a relative mystery. They're a young team far ahead of schedule, so far ahead, in fact, that Nike didn't even think to design new kits for a World Cup. That's how far away this dream was.

In their old kits, Canada showed why they're on their way to being a new contender. They absolutely took it to one of the world's top teams on Wednesday, notching a 21-shot performance that included everything but a goal. Alphonso Davies missed a penalty while two other shouts for a spot-kick were denied.

Belgium still won 1-0. Cruel and hard to believe. But the nature of the World Cup.

A strike from Michy Batshuayi, the penalty save from Thibaut Courtois and poof: Belgium had all three points, and probably had zero idea how they'd actually gotten them.

Still, there's a silver lining: The world now knows that Canada are here to play.

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  The Winners

  Tajon Buchanan

  No, the finishing boots weren't there, but Buchanan was the definition of electric.

  He came out of the gates on fire, driving at Belgium's defense time and time again. His ability to turn with the ball routinely allowed him to carve open Belgium's defense, helping Canada create chance after chance in the first half.

  Does he lose a few points for not taking those chances, including one sliding finish from close range fired into the sky? Yes. But he also deserved a lot of credit for creating them.

  If big clubs are watching, they'll have been impressed by Buchanan, who showed plenty of glimpses into what he can do.

  O Canada:

  Imagine thinking of Canada as only a hockey country…

  The Canadians were far, far louder than the Belgians, as you would have mistaken Al Rayyan for Toronto if you closed your eyes for just a little bit. The eruption when the referee went to VAR shook Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, as did the numerous "Let's go Canada" chants that frequently came from behind the goal.

  It's been a four-decade-long wait for this and the environment was special. Davies' introduction was unforgettable, as was O Canada, the anthem sung loud and proud by the thousands of Canadians in attendance.

  Canada fans are out in full force, and they'll be a presence for the rest of the group stage. The team will be, too, having shown they have the speed and mentality to play with absolutely everyone.

  Kamal Miller:

  From his tearful performance of the national anthem all the way to his emphatic fist pumps after a game-saving tackle, Miller was all emotion and all heart.

  The 25-year-old defender was an absolute force in defense, leading an emotionally charge Canada back-line into an absolute war with one of the world's best teams.

  Miller isn't one of this team's big names, not by a long shot, but he was Canada's biggest player on the day.

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  The Losers

  Alphonso Davies:

  What a moment it could have, and should have, been. Canadian soccer's biggest superstar stepping up to the penalty spot in his national team's biggest moment.

  It was Alphonso Davies' time in the spotlight, but Thibaut Courtois took it from him.

  VAR had given Canada a penalty, much to the delight of what was essentially a hometown crowd, but Courtois made a massive save of a shot that in truth could have been sharper.

  Davies knew what it meant. He sat there, head in hands, for several seconds before team-mates came to console him. He knew that was the turning point.

  Canada did recover, continuing their relentless push, but Davies' penalty was the moment. They could have seized control but, instead, their star handed it right back to Belgium, who found a way to survive.

  Making matters worse was that Jonathan David, a legitimate penalty taker, was right there. Davies had never taken a penalty for Canada and you'll admire his courage to step up as Canada's leader. It just didn't work.

  Janny Sikazwe:

  About 30 minutes into the match, an Egyptian journalist nearby had had enough.

  "This referee, the one from Zambia," he whispered, "everyone knows he's the worst referee in all of Africa."

  It's hard to say if he is, in fact the worst, but his performance in this one definitely left open the possibility.

  Wildly inconsistent throughout, Sikazwe's foul calls were all over the place. Canada got one penalty in the first half, but probably could have had two or three.

  You can call things a certain way and that's fine, as long as you keep calling them that way. There was no consistency in the referee's calls, and that took a bit out of what was otherwise a marvelous game.

  The run of play:

  My goodness, the soccer gods can be cruel. So, so cruel.

  There was no metric where Belgium were better than Canada. There was no conceivable way to say that, on this day, they were the better team. The only statistic they really led Canada in, funnily enough, was goals, the only one that matters.

  This should have been Canada's day. They were proactive, confident and determined. Belgium, meanwhile, were timid and sloppy, seemingly stunned by the pure speed at which Canada played.

  On most days, that would have been enough for a multi-goal win. On Wednesday, though, it was enough for a whole lot of nothing, except some frustration and bunch of heartbreak.

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  Canada ratings: Defence

  Milan Borjan (6/10):

  Maybe could have done better on Batshuayi's goal, but didn't have much else to do.

  Kamal Miller (8/10):

  All heart. What a performance.

  Steven Vitoria (6/10):

  Was caught a bit flat-footed on the goal, but was good enough otherwise.

  Alistair Johnston (7/10):

  Several big, memorable tackles throughout.

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  Midfield

  Alphonso Davies (5/10):

  Missed the penalty, but his speed was on display. Gassed out by the end, though, as he didn't look fully fit.

  Stephen Eustaquio (7/10):

  He nutmegged Kevin De Bruyne. Should give him 100,000/10 just for that.

  Atiba Hutchinson (7/10):

  He's 39-years-old and had the legs to keep up with Belgium's midfield. Bless him.

  Richie Laryea (7/10):

  Another one with several crunching tackles. No fault in his game.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who made 99 appearances for Manchester City, believes it has never worked out for Benjamin Mendy at City despite costing the club a lot of money in wages and transfer fee.

Mendy arrived from AS Monaco after they won Ligue 1 with players such as Bernardo Silva, Fabinho and Kylian Mbappe, however, out of those players it is Mendy who has failed to live up to the expectations people had for him.

Since arriving at the Etihad for £51 million in 2016 he has managed to make just 67 appearances, with constant injuries restricting his game time and this season the emergence of Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko has seen him sit on the bench for most of the campaign.

Speaking on why City should look to get him off their books and how good he can be on his day, Howey told FFC:

“He’s been unfortunate with injuries and I think there have been one or two things off the pitch as well, but they bought him for a decent amount of money.

“He is devastating on his day down that flank, but ultimately he’ll be costing the club a fortune and it just happens sometimes where it doesn’t work out.”

The Manchester Evening News conducted a poll which saw Mendy voted as one of the players City fans would not want to stay at the club.

However, MEN have also reported that he may stay at the club because when City play with wing-backs Pep Guardiola has claimed he has the perfect qualities for that role.

Only two players that did not spend the 2021-22 campaign on the books at Anfield and the Etihad Stadium make the grade in a star-studded XI

The 2021-22 Premier League campaign proved another memorable one, with Manchester City pipping Liverpool to the title by a solitary point while Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min shared Golden Boot honours.

Those exploits have not been enough to earn the South Korean forward a spot in the PFA Team of the Year, with only two men not from Liverpool or Man City making the XI.

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is one of those from outside of Anfield or Etihad Stadium to get the nod, after showing no sign of slowing down during his first season back at Manchester United, while Real Madrid new boy Antonio Rudiger also impressed at Chelsea.

GOAL is on hand to walk you through a team which includes representatives from nine different nations, with Portugal topping that chart with three players.

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  Goalkeeper | Alisson | Liverpool

  The Brazil international shared the Golden Glove award with fellow countryman Ederson in 2021-22, but it is the Liverpool man that earns the right to fill a No.1 jersey for the PFA selection.

  Alisson kept 20 clean sheets for the Reds and remains a model of consistency for Jurgen Klopp’s side in a vital area of the field.

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  Right-back | Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool

  Questions may have been asked of his defensive qualities at times, but Alexander-Arnold remains a poster boy for modern day full-backs and starred again for Liverpool in their quadruple quest.

  Chipped in with two Premier League goals in 2021-22, but it was the 12 assists that he provided in English top-flight competition that continue to separate him from other occupants of a right-back berth.

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  Centre-back | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool

  For many, the Dutchman remains the finest centre-half in world football, with that big billing being reinforced by his presence in a third PFA Team of the Year.

  Van Dijk was a defensive rock for Liverpool as they fell agonisingly short in another title tussle, with an impressive partnership struck up with Joel Matip at the heart of the Reds’ back four.

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  Centre-back | Antonio Rudiger | Chelsea

  Rudiger will be a tough man to replace for Chelsea after taking the decision to leave Stamford Bridge as a free agent and open up a new challenge in Spain with La Liga giants Real Madrid.

  The German centre-half was a leader on and off the field for the Blues, with his personality set to leave a void as big as his talent in west London.

A number of clubs flexed their financial muscle over the summer as they look to ensure successful seasons

With the European transfer window now shut, it's time for clubs to take stock of just how much cash they have splashed over the past few months. 

Real Madrid and Barcelona once again lead the way when it comes to spending as both clubs look to improve upon their most recent Champions League campaigns. 

Along with the usual Spanish suspects, some big money was also spent by clubs in Italy and England with a surpise Premier League side creeping into the top 10. 

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  10Bayern Munich

  Money spent: €143 million (£130m/$156m)

  Key transfers: Lucas Hernandez (€80m from Atletico Madrid), Benjamin Pavard (€35m from VfB Stuttgart), Ivan Perisic (loan from Inter), Jann-Fiete Arp (€3m from Hamburg), Philippe Coutinho (€8.5m loan from Barcelona), Mickael Cuisance (€12m from Borussia Monchengladbach)

  Bayern Munich have invested predominantly in defenders over the summer, spending over €100m on Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard. They've also done well to pick up Ivan Perisic and Philippe Coutinho on loan. 

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  9Aston Villa

  Money spent: €148 million (£134m/$162m)

  Key transfers: Wesley (€25m from Club Brugge), Tyrone Mings (€22m from Bournemouth), Douglas Luiz (€16m from Manchester City), Matt Targett (€15m from Southampton), Tom Heaton (€8m from Burnley)

  Back in the Premier League, Aston Villa are clearly determined to stay in England's top flight after spending big over the summer. With several players leaving the club, manager Dean Smith had to fill plenty of holes and was given the money to fill them with players of an exciting calibre. 

• 8Arsenal

  Money spent: €152 million (£137m/$167m)

  Key transfers: Nicolas Pepe (€80m from Lille), William Saliba (€30m from Saint-Etienne), Kieran Tierney (€27m from Celtic), David Luiz (€8m from Chelsea), Gabriel Martinelli (€6m from Ituano), Dani Ceballos (loan from Real Madrid)

  Aside from the headline arrival of Nicolas Pepe, Arsenal have strengthened across the pitch with their defence reinforced and midfield given a touch of class in the form of Dani Ceballos. 

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  7Sevilla

  Money spent: €158 million (£143m/$173m)

  Key transfers: Jules Kounde (€25m from Bordeaux), Rony Lopes (€25m from Monaco), Munas Dabbur (€17m from RB Salzburg), Luuk de Jong (€12.5m from PSV), Sergio Reguilon (loan from Real Madrid), Javier Hernandez (€8m from West Ham) 

  After losing a number of attacking talents, Sevilla had to restore their stocks up front, their key acquisitions being that of Rony Lopes and Luuk de Jong. The arrival of young French defender Jules Kounde is also an exciting one, with the 20-year-old a bright prospect. 

Southampton fans have been reacting to the news that Manchester City are interested in signing Danny Ings to potentially replace Sergio Aguero (Sky Sports).

Ings’ future with the Saints is up in the air. As it stands, his contract is set to run out at the end of next season (Transfermarkt) but, while Southampton have made it clear they would like to extend his deal (via The Daily Mail), the former Liverpool man has, as of yet, not put pen to paper on an agreement.

To avoid losing the striker for nothing, Southampton may well look to sell him in the summer, and the Citizens are said to be interested in signing him to replace the outgoing Aguero, who is set to leave the club on a free transfer this summer after 10 years at the Etihad Stadium.

Saints supporters have been reacting to the news and, surprisingly, it seems they would not be too fussed to see him depart despite the £19.8m-valued star (Transfermarkt) scoring 42 goals in 92 matches for them. They took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Ings news below

“Good news, get rid and move on, ship out Redmond and djenepo too, both been under achieving at PL level, not sure they’ll achieve a regular squad number in the championship to be honest, that’s my opinion,”

Credit: @TonyTonyprince

“Let him go, picking up injuries and hasn’t looked interested for a while.”

Credit: @saintsfc2011

“Yes let him go I think if he’s not fully commited”

Credit: @doeboy1

“I’m ngl if they want him they can have him”

Credit: @J13578Josh

“Surprised i’m not alone in thinking we should sell Ings. I believe he’s had his moment in the sun and his next few seasons will be impacted heavily with injury. If we get an offer over £20m let him go”

Credit: @luke_lct

“Great! Should help plug the 75 mil hole”

Credit: @edwardmarshCT

In other news, Sevilla are said to be interested in this Southampton star.

Liverpool are aiming to be European champions for a sixth time, but how does their current team compare to their last winners?

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  GK: Dudek vs Karius

  Jerzy Dudek edges out Loris Karius here. Karius has impressed since being installed as Liverpool's No.1 ahead of Simon Mignolet, but he has a long way to go if he wants to match the feats of Dudek.

  Even though Dudek conceded three goals in the final against AC Milan, he was the hero in the shootout, channelling his inner Bruce Grobbelaar to save three penalties, including the decisive spot-kick from Andriy Shevchenko. 

  Winner: Dudek

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  RB: Finnan vs Alexander-Arnold

  Steve Finnan's greater experience gets him in this team over Trent Alexander-Arnold.

  Republic of Ireland international Finnan was one of the most consistent full-backs in England during his time with Fulham and Liverpool, earning himself a spot in the PFA Team of the Year in the 2001-02 season.

  Alexander-Arnold has shown all the qualities needed to be a top-class defender but, aged just 19, his inexperience means he must give way to Finnan.

  Winner: Finnan

• CB: Carragher vs Lovren

  Hard to argue with this one. Jamie Carragher is a club legend, making over 700 appearances for Liverpool during his career. 

  Lovren has improved this season alongside Virgil van Dijk but it would take something special to keep Carragher out of this team.

  Winner: Carragher

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  CB: Hyypia vs Van Dijk

  In years to come this selection may change as Van Dijk has been immense for Liverpool so far since joining from Southampton in January but Hyypia is a hero on Merseyside. 

  Indeed, the Finn is one of the best defenders in Liverpool history but, if Van Dijk keeps playing the way he is, he could surpass his achievements at Anfield.

  Winner: Hyypia

Dele Alli has forced himself back into contention at Tottenham Hotspur in recent weeks and, if his impressive form under Jose Mourinho continues, then Giovani Lo Celso could well struggle to get back into the side when he returns from injury.

The England international made just his second league start of the season in Thursday’s 1-0 win against Fulham and played a key part in the only goal of the game, as his effort was diverted into the net by Tosin Adarabioyo.

The former MK Dons man was also superb in the recent 4-0 win against Wolfsberger and looked back to his best as he was involved throughout the game, whilst he also scored a superb overhead kick to open the scoring.

It had looked as if the 24-year-old’s time with Spurs could be coming to an end in the winter transfer window as PSG were heavily linked with a loan move for the attacking midfielder after he was regularly omitted from Mourinho’s matchday squads earlier in the season.

However, Spurs captain Hugo Lloris has suggested recently that Alli has “switched on” following his failed loan move away during the winter transfer window, and he has clearly impressed Mourinho with his performances in training and in the Europa League, slowly but surely starting to feature more regularly in the Premier League.

If his form continues, then it could prove to be bad news for Lo Celso, who is edging closer to a return after missing the last two months with a hamstring injury.

Injury problems have meant that the Argentine international has never really enjoyed a run of games in this Spurs side; and having joined in January last season after an initial loan spell, you could argue that he has become something of an outsider in his time with the club.

Whilst squad depth is no bad thing for Mourinho, he already has the likes of Alli, Lucas Moura, Erik Lamela and Tanguy Ndombele as options in the attacking midfield position, so it is difficult to see where the former Real Betis man fits in.

The 24-year-old has been limited to just four starts and seven substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this season, in which he has contributed one goal and one assist, averaging a less than impressive 6.56 WhoScored average match rating.

Last season saw the £31.5m-rated midfielder establish himself as a regular under Mourinho but he struggled to contribute in an attacking sense, managing no goals and just two assists in 28 appearances in the top flight.

Therefore, if Alli can rediscover his goalscoring touch, then you wonder where Lo Celso will fit in, especially with both Ndombele and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg having become mainstays with the Lilywhites this season.

Considering that Atletico Madrid have been linked with a move for him recently, if he cannot force his way into Mourinho’s plans when he returns, then perhaps we will see him depart the north London club in the near future.

And, in other news…  8 passes all game: £18m-rated Spurs gem was anonymous; Jose will be worried

Liverpool are reportedly considering a move for Arsenal centre-back Shkodran Mustafi this month as they look to ease their defensive issues, but he’s not the man Jurgen Klopp needs.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, the German defender is one of three centre-backs the Reds could consider before the transfer window shuts next Monday, while Sunday World report that insiders haven’t ruled out making a move for him before the deadline.

Arsenal are keen to offload the experienced centre-back, as he is out of contract in the summer, so wouldn’t demand a high fee.

Would he be a good signing?

To put it simply, no.

Mustafi hasn’t made a single start in the Premier League this season and has just three substitute appearances to his name, which is even more remarkable when you consider how much the Gunners were struggling earlier in the season.

His five appearances in the Europa League this season resulted in just two clean sheets, with goals conceded against the likes of Dundalk, Molde and Rapid Wien in that time.

Mustafi had a high reputation when he joined the Gunners from Valencia for £35 million but has seen his value and standing in the game rapidly decrease during his time in North London.

Despite being just 28-years-old, it is clear that Mustafi is surplus to requirements in this Arsenal side at the moment, and considering he hasn’t started a game since late December, he would presumably need time to build his match fitness should he arrive at Anfield. That is exactly what Klopp doesn’t need.

Mustafi has also spent time on the sidelines this season with a hamstring injury and has endured a number of problems in previous seasons, so signing another injury-prone centre-back is not the solution for Klopp.

Martin Keown highlighted Mustafi’s error-proneness last year, saying:

“We talked about Mustafi before the game, I sense there’s a fear in this player, and you can smell it.

“You’ve got to put everything out of your mind, I sympathise with Luiz. Mustafi’s an accident waiting to happen.”

Whilst Liverpool are desperate for a centre-back, Mustafi is not the answer, and Klopp would be better served selecting the reliable Jordan Henderson at the back for the rest of the season, than signing the former Valencia man.

And, in other news, Edwards can sign Liverpool’s next VVD in £36m beast; but there’s one snag for Klopp…

After securing a win against mid-table Blackburn Rovers at the weekend, Nottingham Forest turn their attentions towards relegation battlers Rotherham on Tuesday night.

Chris Hughton’s side have picked things up in recent weeks in terms of their form, with the defeat to Swansea last Wednesday their only loss in the last six Championship games.

Things are looking much brighter for Forest, and while Hughton will be unlikely to ring massive changes for tonight’s game, he may look to freshen things up slightly given the quick turnaround in games.

And with that in mind, below is a look at how Forest might line up.

In goal, Bryce Samba should keep his place, with the back-four in front of him remaining unchanged, with Forest’s defence having improved significantly in recent weeks – they’ve kept four clean sheets in their last six games.

The midfield could see one key change, with Hughton no doubt keen one eye on the East Midlands derby on Friday against Derby County, and that could see Manchester United loanee James Garner given a rest.

If Hughton does make that bold call, then the 6 foot 3 Ryan Yates could well be in contention for a recall to the starting line-up alongside Cafu.

Further ahead, Joe Lolley will also be hoping that he’s the beneficiary of Hughton wanting to keep players as fresh as possible, with another young talent in Alex Mighton benched in his place.

Predicted XI: Samba; Christie, Figueiredo, Worrall, Ribeiro; Yates, Cafu; Knockaert, Krovinovic, Lolley; Murray.

Carlo Ancelotti can say goodbye to the linked-away Yerry Mina at the end of the season if Everton are able to win the emerging race to sign Torino FC defender Gleison Bremer.

What’s the word?

According to Toro News, several Premier League clubs have made a note of Bremer’s ever-improving performances in the Serie A and could look to make a move this summer.

Bremer has started all 19 of his Italian top-flight appearances this term and added a fourth goal for the campaign, when the centre-half headed home a late winner away to relegation-rivals Cagliari Calcio last Friday.

His efforts have Everton, West Ham United and Fulham on alert, while Liverpool are also keen on the Brazilian’s situation as one of several options who could feature in Jurgen Klopp’s backline next season.

Fulham are only expected to pursue the 23-year-old should Scott Parker secure the Craven Cottage outfit’s Premier League status for another year, after previous efforts to sign the £18,000-per-week beast failed to materialise.

Torino are aware of the heightening interest in Bremer’s services and will look to hedge the risk of losing him by awarding the centre-back a new contract, with President Urbano Cairo and Sporting Director Davide Vagnati already in contact with the player’s agent.

But the priority remains Serie A safety, with the side of newly-appointed head coach Davide Nicola just five points clear of the bottom three after beating 18th-placed Cagliari for a first win in eight league games.

Hello Bremer, goodbye Mina?

Reports of Everton’s interest in Bremer follow claims by the Daily Mail that Ancelotti could look to move Mina on in the summer, with the Italian still facing question marks over his best defensive partnership.

Mina has made 19 appearances in the Premier League this term, starting each, having bounced back from a blunt early-season assessment from Ancelotti when the £18m-rated titan delivered a shaky first-half performance at home to West Bromwich Albion.

“Yerry had an average game, I think he could be more aggressive and do more with the ball,” Ancelotti said in September, via quotes by the Liverpool Echo.

“The only aspect we have to look at is him being more aggressive when he can press the opening. But he did really well against Tottenham [in the season-opener].”

Yet as doubt still appears to linger over Mina’s future, Everton could look to move on from the £120,000-per-week defender – notably their joint-highest earner – by pursuing Bremer.

The Torino ace is seen as a defence-first type with a great read of the game and an aggressive approach to breaking up opposition play, helping toward an average 2.1 interceptions per game in the Serie A this term, per SofaScore.

He also offers 1.4 successful tackles and 4.3 clearances on average to help his side claim five clean sheets – roughly one in every four appearances. Mina, meanwhile, has averaged 1.1 interceptions, 1.0 tackles and 4.5 clearances to help Everton claim four clean sheets in the Premier League – close to a one in every five games.

Mina and Bremer are also comparable for duels won with the Colombian successful in 1.6 ground contests (55%) and 3.1 aerial challenges (68%) a game, while the Brazilian wins 1.9 (55%) on the ground and 2.9 (63%) in the air.

So, if Everton are looking to move Mina on and are open to signing Bremer, the Toffees would seemingly not be taking a step back by signing a player consistently improving in Italy, and potentially one that ticks more of Ancelotti’s boxes than the Italian’s current option.

AND in other news, Everton eye free transfer of £113k-p/w maestro who “always gives everything”…