Justin Ellis scores decisive goal and sustains injury during USMNT's victory over Canada

Mauricio Pochettino emphasized the importance of commitment from players in the U.S. men’s national team, and Justin Ellis demonstrated this during the USMNT’s 1-0 victory over Canada on October 6, 2026. Ellis, 19, appeared to suffer an injury in the first half after a challenge with Canada’s Stephen Eustáquio in the 20th minute at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota. After being assessed by medical staff, he re-entered the game and scored the only goal for the United States, marking his second goal of the international window. Pochettino commented during halftime on the TNT broadcast, stating, “We need to assess him. He received a big knock in his leg, but I hope it’s not a big issue.” Ellis exited the game after halftime but was awarded Man of the Match. The collision with Eustáquio caused Ellis to fall to the ground for several minutes while receiving medical attention. He left the pitch under his own power but was seen limping and was further evaluated by trainers on the sideline. Upon returning to the game in the 23rd minute, he continued to limp but managed to score approximately six minutes later. Alex Freeman assisted Ellis, who finished the play in front of the net to secure the American’s only goal in the 29th minute. Ellis was among several players who received their first senior national team call-ups during the September/October window, having previously scored his first USMNT goal in a win over Peru on September 26 in Orlando.