USA win their second straight Nations League title after beating Canada 2-0

When Crystal Palace centre-back Chris Richards hit a powerful header just 12 minutes into the game against Canada, he had done something no other men’s national team player had done: scoring his first goal for the USMNT in a final.

And then Folarin Balogun did the exact same thing just 22 minutes later.

Caretaker manager BJ Callaghan’s risk in fielding an attack-minded line-up paid off in the form of a 2-0 win to clinch America’s second CONCACAF Nations League title.

With Weston McKennie suspended due to a red card from the chaotically refereed USA-Mexico match, Callaghan decided to add Brenden Aaronson to their midfield setup of Yunus Musah and Gio Reyna.

Reyna has proven to be a serious mover for the United States – playing like a man who wants to show his future (and former) boss exactly why he should have had more playing time in Qatar.

Chris Richards celebrated his first USMNT goal in a 2-0 win over Canada

The first goal of American career Folarin Balogun (20) was also scored in the Nations League final.

It was a fantastic night from Gio Reyna who turned in a man of the match game in just one half

It was Reyna who whipped into a perfectly placed corner to put Richards ahead – with the defender flicking the ball past the dipping arms of Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan to put it into the back of the net.

Richards, the Alabama native who had spent time with Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim before moving to south London last summer, ran for the corner flag while squealing in jubilation.

But Reyna also deserves serious credit for the second goal – slipping a sublimely timed ball straight into Balogun’s path.

Flo Balogun, the Arsenal product who just signed up for the United States a few weeks ago, outplayed SSV Jahn Regensburg centre-back Scott Kennedy, wrapping his right foot around the ball and past the left shoulder of Borjan to make it 2-0.

But the second half saw a change in tone as Reyna was taken off with a calf injury, according to the USMNT Twitter account.

Canada seemed more at the forefront, but their formation seemed to betray what they really needed.

Reyna notched the assists on both goals – one from a corner and one through ball

Alphonso Davies (19) and Canada struggled to find holes in the American backline

Manager John Herdman’s 5-3-2 saved quick options like Alastair Johnston as right centre-back while Richie Laryea and Ismael Kone tried to run balls back towards Jonathan David.

Eventually things were moved to a 4-4-2, but even then their attempts to drive the ball into dangerous areas seemed like a blunt dagger.

It took Herdman until the 60th minute to bring in his first substitutes of the game – Steven Vitoria for Kennedy, Sam Adekugbe for Jonathan Osorio and Tajon Buchanan for Johnston.

Why it took so long for Buchanan, one of Canada’s most dynamic attacking options since the World Cup, to see the pitch is quite baffling – especially given he’s reportedly linked to the former teammate of the Club Brugge Cyle Larin on the left side.

That left much of Canada’s offense to the footwork and speed of Alphonso Davies as well as Buchanan, Laryea and Kone to step up the field.

But often their attacks were ineffective and the box didn’t always have friendly bodies to convert Red’s shots.

An effort for that is worth going to the American back line – especially for a sublime performance from Fulham full-back Antonee ‘Jedi’ Robinson.

Antonee ‘Jedi’ Robinson (5) and the rest of the United managed to keep a clean sheet

It’s the first league win for USMNT interim manager BJ Callaghan, who will lead a different team in upcoming Gold Cup matches starting next week.

Canada’s most dangerous effort came in the fourth minute of stoppage time – when Davies’ pass found the feet of Kamal Miller, who sent it back to David who inserted it for Buchanan, but n could not connect.

Shortly after, the referee blew the final whistle – shockingly 20 seconds before the fully allotted five minutes.

But Canada wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference – as their chance to lift a major continental trophy for the first time since the 2000 Gold Cup slipped away.

It was a night for Callaghan’s men to be champions again – and with a managerial change on the horizon, the next time we see this ‘A’ team won’t be until the fall.