Canada
\u200bdelivered a strong performance but was not able to find the back of the net in a
\u200b0:0 draw against Czech Republic in Cartagena, Spain. This first of two Women’s
\u200bInternational Friendly matches was part of Canada Soccer’s Women’s National
\u200bTeam preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and saw Canada use all five
\u200bsubstitutes with Bianca St-George making her international debut.
“We got the
\u200bclean sheet and in the grand scheme of things this will push us on to the next match.
\u200bIf we want to change the colour of the medal we’ve got to look after the ball
\u200bmore and we have to finish the chances. We had some good chances but we’ve got
\u200bto convert,” said Bev Priestman, Women’s National Team Head Coach. “We want to
\u200bturn the table on that Brazil result we had (at SheBelieves Cup). I think it
\u200bwill be a very exciting game and should feel like an Olympic Games fixture,
\u200bthat level of opposition, so I’m excited.”
Canada will
\u200bnext face Brazil at Estadio Cartagonova on Monday 14 June at 21:00 local (15:00
\u200bET / 12:00 PT), with a live broadcast on OneSoccer. Throughout the June window,
\u200bCanadian fans will find extended coverage across Canada Soccer’s digital channels
\u200bon Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter featuring the social media hashtag
\u200b#CANWNT.
“As a centreback
\u200band being defensively-minded, I’m very happy that we got a clean sheet,” said
\u200bKadeisha Buchanan before turning her attention to the Brazil match. “Recognizing
\u200bour abilities and capabilities, we do have time and can take care of the ball,
\u200bwe’ll need to keep the ball from Brazil and finish our chances.”
In the first
\u200bhalf, Canada created multiple opportunities and maintained the pressure. In the
\u200b10’, Gabrielle Carle had the first opportunity for Canada, but her
\u200bshot was just wide. A few minutes later, Adriana Leon brought the ball into the
\u200bbox, but her effort was blocked. Czech Republic had an opportunity a few
\u200bminutes later in the 15’, but Franny Crena’s shot went out for a goal kick.
In the 24’, Carle
\u200bsent the ball through to Sinclair, who tried to bring the ball into the box. On
\u200bthe deflection, Jessie Fleming got a shot on goal, but Czech Republic
\u200bgoalkeeper Barbora Votikoba made the save.
In the 38’,
\u200bCanada once again played through into the Czech Republic box as Nichelle Prince
\u200bfound Sinclair whose left-foot shot was blocked by a defender. On the rebound,
\u200bPrince’s shot went over the bar. In the last minute of the half Adriana Leon
\u200bhad another opportunity when she found herself in front of the net with the
\u200bball after a cross from Prince before she was called for a foul.
In the second
\u200bhalf, Canada continued their momentum and pressured the Czech Republic to try
\u200bto break the deadlock. In the 50’, Fleming played a deft pass to Leon who tried
\u200bunsuccessfully to find some space, and Schmidt eventually got the shot away,
\u200bbut it went over the bar.
After a pair
\u200bof substitutions at the 57’, second-half substitute Jordyn Huitema had a chance
\u200bwith a header on Ashley Lawrence’s cross near the back post, but her attempt
\u200bwent wide. Kadeisha Buchanan’s 82’ header off a Canadian corner was saved by
\u200bthe goalkeeper.
Deanne Rose had
\u200bCanada’s best opportunity in the 85’ as Ashley Lawrence played a brilliant pass
\u200bthrough the box. It was just missed by Viens and continued through to Rose who
\u200bfired the ball into the side netting.
\u200bCanada had a chance late after a handball call just outside of the box in injury
\u200btime. Jessie Fleming and second -half substitute Julia Grosso stood over the free
\u200bkick and Fleming hit the set piece into the wall and out for a corner.
“It was a
\u200bhard-fought performance. We knew coming into this game that it was going to be a
\u200bphysical battle and I thought we left it all out there and created a lot of
\u200bchances,” said Ashley Lawrence
Canada’s
\u200bstarting XI featured Stephanie Labbé in goal, Jayde Riviere at right back,
\u200bVanessa Gilles and Kadeisha Buchanan at centre back, Gabrielle Carle at left
\u200bback, and Sophie Schmidt, Ashley Lawrence, Jessie Fleming, Nichelle Prince,
\u200bChristine Sinclair, and Adriana Leon from the midfield up through to the
\u200battack. In the second half, coach Bev Priestman replaced Prince with Jordyn
\u200bHuitema (46’), Leon with Deanne Rose and Carle with Julia Grosso (57’),
\u200bSinclair with Evelyne Viens (65’), and Bianca St-Georges for Riviere (80’).
OLYMPIC MEDAL
\u200bWINNERS & CONCACAF CHAMPIONS
Canada are
\u200btwo-time Olympic bronze medal winners (2012 and 2016) and two-time Concacaf
\u200bchampions (1998 and 2010). In all, Canada have participated in seven consecutive
\u200beditions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ (1995 to 2019) and three consecutive
\u200beditions of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament (2008 to 2016). At Rio
\u200b2016, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team were the first Canadian Olympic
\u200bteam to win back-to-back medals at a summer Olympic Games in more than a
\u200bcentury.
Canada
\u200bSoccer’s Women’s National Youth Teams, meanwhile, have won four Concacaf youth titles:
\u200bthe 2004 and 2008 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, the 2010 Concacaf
\u200bWomen’s Under-17 Championship, and the 2014 Concacaf Girls’ Under-15
\u200bChampionship. Canada have qualified for seven editions of the FIFA U-20 Women’s
\u200bWorld Cup (including a silver medal at Canada 2002) and all six editions of the
\u200bFIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup (including a fourth-place finish at Uruguay 2018).