The final match before Canada's 2026 World Cup campaign is officially complete, with Les Rouges playing to a 1-1 draw against the Republic of Ireland. The Canadian men will now turn their attention to their opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a week's time.

Here are the talking points from last night's match.

Canada has to do better with their chances

It was a welcome sight to see Canada score from a set-piece opportunity early in the first half, even if it came through a Jake O'Brien own goal. Stephen Eustáquio delivered a dangerous ball deep into the six-yard box, and the Canadian attack did well to create chaos in front of goal, resulting in the ball ricocheting off the defender and into the back of the Irish net.

Canada also forced some good saves from Mark Travers, particularly when he smartly parried a Tajon Buchanan effort away to his right in the second minute, and later when he extended a leg to deny Cyle Larin in the 69th minute.

With all of that said, the final product was still lacking from the Canadians on the day. Many of their attempts from outside the box were driven high and wide, and despite registering 20 shots, only two were on target. In World Cup matches, where every point is pivotal, Canada will need to make the most of its chances and be more efficient in front of goal.

Dangerous challenges and switching off could cost Canada in World Cup matches

It was a very good defensive performance by the CanMNT in last night's matchup, as they limited Ireland to just two shots, both of which found the target. Despite those limited opportunities, Ireland still managed to earn a draw against a Canadian side that registered 10 times as many shots as its opponent.

Ireland's equalizer came after a reckless challenge from Cyle Larin inside Canada's penalty area, with the forward catching Jamie McGrath in the head and conceding a penalty.

Troy Parrott stepped up to the spot and opted for power over placement. Maxime Crépeau read it well and dove to his left to make the save, but the pacey Chiedozie Ogbene reacted first and slotted the rebound into the back of the net.

Canada need to remain switched on for the full 90 minutes. They defend very well in open play, but undisciplined mistakes and avoidable errors could ultimately prevent the Canadian men from making a deep run at a once-in-a-lifetime home World Cup.

Luc de Fougerolles and Max Crépeau among standout performers

It was a night to remember for Luc de Fougerolles and Max Crépeau. De Fougerolles defended and distributed the ball well and, most importantly, strengthened his case as Canada's third-choice centre-back behind Derek Cornelius and Moïse Bombito.

There are still plenty of questions about Bombito's readiness and availability, despite the 26-year-old from Montreal saying he is 100 percent fit and ready for the home opener. Based on last night's performance, many fans will feel a new sense of confidence in De Fougerolles, and the 20-year-old showed he is capable of doing a job and serving as a reliable starter for the Canadian men's national team when called upon.

Crépeau was another standout performer, as Canada's newly established number one rewarded Jesse Marsch's faith in him and showed why he earned the role. He reacted well to make an excellent save on Mason Melia when the 18-year-old Irish wonderkid found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and he did well to gather the rebound. Crépeau also saved Troy Parrott's penalty, and there was little he could have done to stop Chiedozie Ogbene from converting the rebound.

26th spot in the World Cup squad is still up for grabs

Despite the Uzbekistan clash producing strong performances from fringe World Cup squad members such as Jayden Nelson and Ralph Priso, we did not see the same level of impact in the Ireland match. That said, Jesse Marsch did not use his substitutions as early or as frequently as he did in the previous game, instead prioritizing longer minutes for the starters, likely to test fitness levels.

Nelson and Priso still had a positive international window and may have done enough to remain in contention for a World Cup spot, but no player appears to have fully secured that final place. Will Marsch reward the Swiss-army Priso or recent goalscorer Nelson? Or will he lean toward veteran leadership in Junior Hoilett, or instead reward strong club form and hand the final spot to Daniel Jebbison? These questions will be answered in the coming days.