Canada shut out by Uruguay in World Cup friendly

Nicolas De La Cruz and Darwin Nunez set the tone in the first half with a goal apiece as 13th-ranked Uruguay topped Canada 2-0 in a men's soccer friendly on Tuesday in Bratislava, Slovakia.

De La Cruz scored on a free kick from the left side just outside of the box in the sixth minute, and scored by the near-side post as goalkeeper Milan Borjan could not get enough on the ball to stop it.

Following a close miss on a volley shot from a Luis Suarez cross five minutes earlier, Nunez made up for it with a header goal in the 33rd minute off a cross from Suarez to put his side up 2-0.

It was the second to last World Cup tune-up match for the 43rd-ranked Canadians before they take the field in Qatar in November. Canada is scheduled to play No. 24 Japan on Nov. 17, six days before its World Cup opener against Belgium.

Canada was coming off a 2-0 win over the World Cup hosts last week.

WATCH | Canadian men fail to convert chances in World Cup tune-up:

Despite conceding the two goals, Canada dominated possession in the first half (59 per cent to 41 for Uruguay) and was not short on scoring opportunities. It finished the match outshooting Uruguay 11-6 (3-2 on target), controlling 56 per cent possession for the match and taking seven corner kicks.

Alistair Johnston was just off on a header from a cross sent by Alphonso Davies in the 12th minute. A dozen minutes later, Cyle Larin found an opening, taking a pass from Davies, but his left-footed shot was saved.

In the 39th minute, Davies drew the attention of multiple defenders outside of the box before sliding a pass to an open Larin inside the box. With the ball bouncing in front of the Brampton, Ont., native, he had his shot blocked after attempting to get it set properly.

Larin