John Herdman believes Canada "showed that they do belong" at the World Cup despite losing their opening match 1-0 to Belgium on Wednesday.
Making their World Cup return after a 36-year exodus, Canada dominated the first half and should have gone ahead when they were awarded a penalty after Yannick Carrasco handled Tajon Buchanan's shot.
However, Alphonso Davies saw his spot-kick saved by Thibaut Courtois, before Michy Batshuayi struck Belgium's winner a minute before half-time to ensure Canada's World Cup return ended in defeat.
Despite the disappointing result, Canada's head coach Herdman was pleased with his team's performance after such a long spell away from international football's top competition.
"They showed that they [Canada] do belong," Herdman told reporters in his post-match news conference. "It's been a long time since we've been back.
"The fans tried to warm the stadium and I'm sure they walked away proud that we are a football nation. I'm really proud.
"We had a couple of goals, to play fearless and to entertain. We had other goals but never got to those moments."
Canada finished the game with 22 shots to Belgium's nine, but they only hit the target with three of those as they drew a blank, becoming just the third team in World Cup history to fail to score a goal in their first four matches.
Herdman complimented Belgium's defending, adding: "The stats would say we are a ruthless team, we just couldn't find the net.
"When you have the Real Madrid goalkeeper [Courtois] it makes a difference, when you also have [Toby] Alderweireld, [Jan] Vertonghen, [Leander] Dendoncker, it’s difficult to get through.
"I thought sometimes it was one touch too many around the box, but when you outshoot Belgium you can't complain too much. Sometimes it's your night, and sometimes it's not."
Herdman was asked why Davies, a defender, took the penalty ahead of the likes of striker Jonathan David, who has scored nine goals in 15 games for Ligue 1 side Lille this season, including two penalties.
Herdman defended Davies, saying: "It was a big moment, we were waiting to get that first goal.
"I'm proud of Phonzy [Davies], he's picked the ball up. It's a big moment for any player, carrying the weight of a nation. It takes a special character.
"When you have an $85million player, let him take it. He practices just like Jonny David. Give Courtois credit too, that was some good keeping."
One positive for Canada is that Morocco and Croatia, the other teams in Group F, played out a goalless draw earlier in the day, meaning Herdman's side still have a decent chance of getting through.
With Croatia up next for Canada on Sunday, Herdman acknowledged both the importance and difficulty of that fixture, explaining: "The group is wide open after the Morocco and Croatia result.
"But teams know us now, the cover is off, teams will know what we do and we're coming up against a formidable team in Croatia who have a midfield to die for."
Netherlands legend Neeskens dies aged 73
Netherlands and Ajax legend Johan Neeskens has passed away at the age of 73, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has announced.
Neeskens played a key role in the Ajax and Netherlands teams credited with popularising "total football" in the 1970s, playing alongside Johan Cruyff for club and country.
Neeskens scored 17 goals in 49 appearances for his nation, helping them reach two World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978, only for West Germany and Argentina to beat them in those showpiece matches.
The midfielder scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in the first of those finals, only for goals from Paul Breitner and Gerd Muller to hand West Germany their second title.
He also helped Ajax win back-to-back Eredivisie crowns in 1971-72 and 1972-73, as well as three straight European Cups in 1971, 1972 and 1973, a feat that has only been replicated by Bayern Munich (1974 to 1976) and Real Madrid (2016 to 2018) since then.
Neeskens followed Cruyff and coach Rinus Michels to Barcelona in 1974, winning the Copa del Rey and the European Cup Winners' Cup in five seasons at Camp Nou.
A KNVB statement released on Monday read: "The KNVB was deeply saddened to learn of the unexpected death of Johan Neeskens.
"Johan was one of our greatest. We will miss him tremendously. We wish his wife Marlis, his children Christian, Tamara, Bianca and Armand, his grandchildren Djoy and Lovee, relatives and friends much strength in bearing this great loss. Rest in peace, Johan."
Following his retirement, Neeskens had a spell as the Netherlands' assistant manager under Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard, also assisting the latter at Barcelona from 2006 to 2008.
He also spent four years in charge of Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen, leading them to UEFA Cup qualification via a fifth-placed league finish in 2002-03.
Injury forces Militao out of Brazil's World Cup qualifiers
Eder Militao will miss Brazil's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Peru due to a thigh injury.
The defender, who also missed September's fixtures due to a leg injury, first felt some discomfort against Atletico Madrid on September 29.
Though he has featured for Real Madrid since, he flew out to Sao Paulo to undergo checks on the issue, where the national team confirmed the extent of the injury.
"[Militao] underwent tests this Sunday... which revealed a minor muscle injury in his left thigh that will prevent him from playing," the CBF said in a statement.
He is the second Madrid player to pull out of the Brazil squad, with Vinicius Junior also unfit to play after suffering a neck injury.
Brazil sit fifth in South America's qualification table after eight matches, with 10 points.
Brighton 3-2 Tottenham: Rutter inspires remarkable Seagulls comeback
Brighton managed a remarkable second-half comeback as Georginio Rutter scored one and played a key role for another in a thrilling 3-2 home victory over Tottenham.
Ange Postecoglou's visitors had won their last five games, including their EFL Cup and Europa League exploits, and started well on Sunday as in-form Brennan Johnson scored for a sixth straight outing.
James Maddison doubled the away side's lead before the interval, aided by Bart Verbruggen's handling blunder, but Yankuba Minteh halved that deficit after the restart with a thumping finish.
Destiny Udogie was somewhat at fault for Minteh's finish, and the Spurs defence again struggled as Rutter restored parity before the hour mark after dancing around a couple of defenders.
Former Leeds United star Rutter then edged past numerous Tottenham charges once more, with his cross deflecting up for Danny Welbeck to head in the 66th-minute winner and seal a memorable turnaround.
Verbruggen was still required to deny Udogie late on, however, as Fabian Hurzeler's side held on for a victory that lifted them to sixth and ended Spurs' impressive winning run.
Data Debrief: Johnson's heroics in vain
Johnson has now scored in each of his last six appearances in all competitions, becoming the first Spurs player to do so since departed talisman Harry Kane between December 2018 and January 2019.
The winger's six goals across 10 appearances this season are also more than he managed in 34 outings for Spurs last campaign, though Johnson's efforts proved ultimately in vain.
Sunday marked the 10th time that Tottenham have lost a Premier League game in which they led by two or more goals – they are the first club to hit double figures for this, and have done so three more times than any other club in the competition's history.
Indeed, this memorable turnaround saw Brighton win a league game after trailing by two or more goals at half-time for the first time since a 3-2 victory against Charlton in the Championship in December 2015.
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