Canada beats United States in U.S. for first time since 1957, winning friendly 2-1

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Hoping to show its first-round exit at the Copa America was a fluke, the United States instead displayed an alarming lack of intensity and an abundant defensive disarray that resulted in its first home loss to Canada since 1957.

Jacob Shaffelburg and Jonathan David scored off defensive misplays, and Canada dominated 2-1 in a friendly on Saturday for just its second win over the Americans in 27 matches over 99 years on U.S. soil.

While Jesse Marsch, Canada's American-born coach, glowed following a win over a team that bypassed him for its coaching opening last year, interim U.S. coach Mikey Varas rebuked himself and his players.

“The mentality is on the players. Sorry, they know it,” Varas said. “That mentality to fight and to run and to sacrifice, I can’t do that for them. I can’t do that for them. That’s on them.”

Coming off defeats to Panama and Uruguay at the Copa America, the U.S. has lost three straight games for the first time since 2015 against Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica. A defeat to New Zealand on Tuesday at Cincinnati would result in the Americans' first four-game losing streak since 2007.

“All over the park today, our mentality just wasn't quite there,” defender Chris Richards said.

Varas moved up from assistant after Gregg Berhalter was fired following the Copa America flop. The U.S. Soccer Federation has been trying to reach an agreement for Mauricio Pochettino to become the team’s 10th coach in 14 years but has not commented on the talks, which began in mid-August.

“You just never know how it’s going to translate from training to the game after three training sessions, and I asked a lot of them,” Varas said. “The first goal, that’s on me, both the goals, because when you don’t have a lot of time to work and you want to play a certain way, it creates confusion.”

Before a crowd of 10,523 in a just over half-full Children's Mercy Park, Shaffelburg put Canada ahead in the 17th minute after Tim Ream's pass bounced away from Johnny Cardoso. David added his 29th international goal in the 58th when Ream turned over the ball in front of his own goal.

Luca de la Torre scored his first international goal for the U.S. in the 66th minute off a pass from Aidan Morris, who entered with de la Torre four minutes earlier.

Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau used his right hand to bat away Ricardo Pepi’s open shot in the 86th.

“The translation of the ideas weren’t clear enough because you shouldn’t be static and you shouldn’t pass the ball just to pass the ball,” Varas said.

Canada hired Marsch as coach in May and finished fourth in the Copa America. He had interviewed in 2023 with the USSF before Berhalter was rehired that June.

“I'm not bitter,” Marsch said. “Most people, if they ask me a question, I answer it. That’s how I operate in the media.”

Canada outshot the U.S. 17-8, including 11-1 in the first half, and had a 31-12 margin in tackles, the worst differential for the Americans since a 2020 exhibition at Wales. The Canadians had been been winless in 23 consecutive games against the U.S. in America since a 3-2 victory at St. Louis in a World Cup qualifier on July 6, 1957.

“I’d much rather coach Canada than the U.S. right now,” Marsch said. “You can see the mentality that’s been developed. You can see the way this team plays. You can see how much they love playing for the national team and they’re willing to put their careers and lives and the way they play on the line to be the best they can be for each other and for the team.

Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte made his second U.S. start and displaced Matt Turner, who hasn’t played a club match since April 2. Ream started following his transfer from Fulham to Charlotte.

No MLS players had started in the prior six matches and just eight of 198 starting positions have been been filled with MLS players in the 18 games the full pool has been available since the 2022 World Cup.

Canada went ahead when Schulte lingered on the ball after a backpass and played it wide to Ream, whose pass to Cardoso bounced away from the midfielder and was picked up by Stephen Eustáquio. He played the ball to David, who one-timed the ball to Shaffelburg. He took a touch and slid the ball past Schulte's left hand for his fourth goal in 17 international appearances.

David scored after taking Ream's giveaway and centering to Cyle Larin. Kristoffer Lund's challenge knocked the ball to David, who beat Schulte to the near post from 7 yards. David's 29 goals matched Larin for the Canada career scoring record.

De La Torre got his goal when the ball fell near his left foot 8 yards out after Joe Scally crossed on a counterattack to Morris, who spun into the penalty area.

“We just weren't intense enough at times,” de la Torre said.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Canada midfielder Ali Ahmed, left, and United States defender Kristoffer Lund (23) chase after the ball during the second half of an international friendly soccer game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Canada won 2-1. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada forward Cyle Larin (9) and defender Moïse Bombito (15) compete for a head ball with United States defenders Tim Ream (13) and Kristoffer Lund (23) during the first half of an international friendly soccer game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada forward Jacob Shaffelburg scores a goal during the first half of an international friendly soccer game against Canada, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

United States goalkeeper Patrick Schulte catches a high cross during the first half of an international friendly soccer game against Canada, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada forward Jacob Shaffelburg (14) and United States forward Brenden Aaronson (11) chase after the ball during the first half of an international friendly soccer game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso (15) kicks the ball under pressure from Canada midfielder Mathieu Choiniere during the first half of an international friendly soccer game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada defender Alphonso Davies beats United States defender Joe Scally (22) to the ball during the first half of an international friendly soccer game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada forward Jacob Shaffelburg kicks to score a goal during the first half of an international friendly soccer game against Canada, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada forward Jacob Shaffelburg kicks to score a goal during the first half of an international friendly soccer game against Canada, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada forward Cyle Larin (9) and defender Moïse Bombito (15) compete for the ball with United States defenders Tim Ream (13) and Kristoffer Lund (23) during the first half of an international friendly soccer game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada forward Cyle Larin (9) reacts after missing a goal attempt during the first half of an international friendly soccer game against United States, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada defender Moïse Bombito (15), goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau (16) and defender Joel Waterman (5) celebrate after their international friendly soccer game against United States , Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Canada won 2-1. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canadian players celebrate after a goal during the first half of an international friendly soccer game against United States, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada defenders Moïse Bombito, and Joel Waterman (5) celebrate after their international friendly soccer game against United States , Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Canada won 2-1. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Canada forward Jacob Shaffelburg, second from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the first half of an international friendly soccer game against United States, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

LONDON (AP) — Former BBC news anchor Huw Edwards, once one of the most prominent media figures in Britain, was given a suspended prison sentence Monday for images of child sexual abuse on his phone.

Edwards, 63, pleaded guilty in Westminster Magistrates’ Court in July to three counts of making indecent images of children, a charge related to photos sent to him on the WhatsApp messaging service by a man convicted of distributing images of child sex abuse.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring sentenced Edwards to a six-month prison term suspended for two years.

“It is not an exaggeration to say your long-earned reputation is in tatters,” Goldspring said.

Edwards' fall from grace over the past year has caused turmoil for the BBC after it was revealed the publicly funded broadcaster paid him about 200,000 pounds ($263,000) for five months of his salary after he had been arrested in November while on leave. The BBC has asked him to pay it back.

Edwards had been one of the BBC’s top earners when he was suspended in July 2023 over separate claims made last year involving a teenager he allegedly paid for sexually explicit photos. Police investigated and decided not to bring charges.

Although Edwards was not publicly named at the time those allegations surfaced, his wife later revealed he was the news presenter investigated and said he was hospitalized for serious mental health issues.

He never returned to the air but the BBC kept him on the payroll until he resigned in April for health reasons.

Edwards began his BBC career in Wales four decades ago. He went on to become lead anchor on the nighttime news for two decades and led the coverage of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 as well as election coverage.

The BBC said it had been shocked to hear the details of the charges against Edwards at the time of his guilty plea.

More than 375 sexual images were sent to him on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021. More than 40 were indecent images of children, including seven classified as “category A” — the most indecent — with children estimated to be between 13 and 15. One child was aged between 7 and 9.

In chats with Alex Williams, a convicted pedophile, Edwards was asked if he wanted sexual images of a person whose “age could be discerned as being between 14 and 16,” and Edwards replied, “yes xxx,” prosecutor Ian Hope said.

“From that chat in December 2020, Alex Williams said that he had ‘a file of vids and pics for you of someone special,’” Hope said. “Mr. Edwards immediately queried who the subject was and was then sent three images of seemingly the same person, from two of which images the subject’s age could be discerned as being between 14 and 16.”

Williams later sent Edwards video in February 2021 that involved two children, one possibly as young as seven and another no older than 13, involving penetration, Hope said.

Edwards did not respond, but when later asked by Williams if the material was too young, he said, “don’t send underage.” He also said he didn’t want him to send anything illegal.

Defense lawyer Philip Evans said Edwards was “truly sorry” for the offenses and the damage he had done to his family.

“He apologizes sincerely and he makes it clear that he has the utmost regret and he recognizes that he has betrayed the priceless trust and faith of so many people,” Evans said.

Evans said Williams had reached out to Edwards on Instagram at a time when he was mentally vulnerable and began sending him images. He said Edwards never received gratification from the images and hadn’t saved them or sent them to anyone.

Hope said Edwards paid Williams “not insignificant sums of money,” as gifts that Williams used for support while studying at a university.

At one point, Williams asked for a “Christmas gift after all the hot videos” he had sent. Edwards had said some of the images were “amazing,” Hope said.

Williams, 25, was given a suspended 1-year sentence in March for possessing and distributing indecent images as well as possessing prohibited images of children.

Huw Edwards an ex-BBC news presenter arrives at Westminster Magistrate's Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in London, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

A small number of protesters wait for Huw Edwards an ex-BBC news presenter to arrive at Westminster Magistrate's Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in London, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

A small number of protesters wait for Huw Edwards an ex-BBC news presenter to arrive at Westminster Magistrate's Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in London, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Huw Edwards an ex-BBC news presenter arrives at Westminster Magistrate's Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in London, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Huw Edwards an ex-BBC news presenter arrives at Westminster Magistrate's Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in London, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Huw Edwards an ex-BBC news presenter arrives at Westminster Magistrate's Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in London, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Huw Edwards an ex-BBC news presenter arrives at Westminster Magistrate's Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in London, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Huw Edwards an ex-BBC news presenter arrives at Westminster Magistrate's Court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in London, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)