MONTR\u00c9AL \u2013 The anthem was deafening. Maxime Cr\u00e9peau<\/a>, who knows every nook and cranny at Stade Saputo, couldn\u2019t contain his emotions.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n As the 32-year-old lined up with his Canadian men\u2019s national team<\/a> teammates 24 hours after his head coach Jesse Marsch revealed that he\u2019d achieve his childhood dream of playing in a World Cup<\/a>, he broke down, tears dripping off his face as the crowd drove a passionate French rendition of \u201cO Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n Fourteen years ago, it was at the same stadium that Marsch stood beside him as he put pen to paper on his first professional contract.<\/p>\n Now, Cr\u00e9peau had 90 minutes to play before next week\u2019s World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.<\/p>\n \u201cI had chills, man, this team is ready and this core, everybody that has been in the program has put everything on the field,\u201d he told TSN after the match.<\/p>\n \u201cThis team is ready. We are ready to represent 41.5 million people, man. We don’t take that for granted, and we don\u2019t take it lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 6, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n The night itself, as grandiose as the World Cup vibes were, didn\u2019t end in the way Canada hoped. They played the Republic of Ireland to a\u00a01-1 draw<\/a>, taking a lead on an Irish own-goal off a threatening corner kick by\u00a0LAFC<\/a> midfielder Stephen Eust\u00e1quio<\/a>, and allowed a rebound after Cr\u00e9peau\u2019s penalty stop for the equalizer.\u00a0<\/p>\n The crowd, though, didn\u2019t seem disheartened. After the match, even the Irish supporters began chanting \u201cLet\u2019s Go Canada!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was all red and white, and the crowd was outstanding,\u201d Marsch said after the match. \u201cAs we walked around the field, everybody was loud and passionate, and you could see the love and support for the team. We’re going to keep pushing to make this a winner and make this an experience that Canada won’t forget.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n While Canada wasn\u2019t able to secure a 10th clean sheet in their last 12 games, Marsch will feel completely justified in selecting Orlando City<\/a>\u2019s Cr\u00e9peau as his No. 1 over Inter Miami<\/a>\u2019s Dayne St. Clair<\/a>.<\/p>\n The choice, largely based on the team\u2019s confidence in Cr\u00e9peau and the goalkeeper\u2019s maturity and composure in big moments, was on full display Friday.<\/p>\n The native of nearby Greenwood Park, Quebec, made an impressive save on Troy Parrott\u2019s penalty kick in the 60th minute, showing he can be the key factor in clutch moments, before making a vital stop on Mason Melia\u2019s one-on-one chance in the final moments.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHe showed his quality again, obviously,\u201d 20-year-old center back Luc De Fougerolles said, on a night where he may have secured a starting role at the World Cup, given the injury to former Colorado Rapids<\/a> star Mo\u00efse Bombito. \u201cMax, he bailed us out today on that penalty save, where we should be better on the second ball, and then the save after, that was unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n As much as he gave his team a chance to win, Cr\u00e9peau also allowed Marsch to look critically at the last few games, without the weight of a loss. In transition moments, Canada have struggled, but Cr\u00e9peau has been immense \u2013 a factor in why he was picked, but also an issue Canada will have to mend against more formidable competition on the sport\u2019s grandest stage.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n LET’S GO MAX CREPEAU \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n A point-blank save DENIES Ireland as the CanMNT \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 no. 1 earns his keep \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd34 Watch LIVE on OneSoccer & TSN pic.twitter.com\/zOoV7sY1yO<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 OneSoccer (@onesoccer) June 6, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n While Cr\u00e9peau\u2019s performance was commendable, so too was Isma\u00ebl Kon\u00e9’s, who grew up in the\u00a0CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a> academy and is now off to his second World Cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kon\u00e9, typically reserved in media settings, was lighthearted after the final whistle. When asked whether he thought Canada was ready for the World Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think we\u2019re ready?\u201d he said, a glimmer in his smile after a starring performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHe was winning duels, he’s winning headers, he’s picking up loose balls, with the ball he’s driving and finding actions,\u201d Marsch said of the young midfielder, who he was frustrated with after Monday\u2019s 2-0 win<\/a> over Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n \u201cThis, tonight, was my vision from the beginning for him, as an intensive player that also has a gift of just moving around with the ball that teams can’t really match plan for, right? He’s an X-factor for us.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Stephen Eust\u00e1quio’d corner leads to the @CANMNT_Official<\/a>‘s opener! \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6pic.twitter.com\/3Of7xETStc<\/a><\/p>\nElectric atmosphere<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Cr\u00e9peau steps up<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
\n
The Kon\u00e9 factor<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
\n