The World Cup is in the rearview mirror, Canada’s men’s national team has returned north of the border with a program-best result and there’s now have a new, clear goal: qualify for the 2030 World Cup — and do so as a Pot 2 team, among the top half of those that will compete at the end of another four-year journey.

At first glance, that feels ambitious for a team that only earned its first World Cup points ever this summer. But still, in the first game since round-of-16 elimination, Canada took steps towards continuing its ascent.