Everything seemed pretty easy for Canada’s women’s national team in the first two matches of the group-stage round of qualifiying for the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany: an 8-0 destruction of Guyana followed a 1-0 scoreline against Trinidad and Tobago that belied Canada’s dominance. The real threat, we were led to expect, was to come against the host Mexican side. Three goals to nil later, Canada is through to the semifinals with a perfect record – not to mention 12 goals for and none against.
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The loss will be hard on Mexico’s 16-year-old keeper (sixteen!) Cecilia Santiago, who was at fault for the first two goals (especially the second – yikes!), potted by Canadace Chapman and Josee Belanger, respectively. Jonelle Filigno nabbed the icing on the cake with her third of the tournament, heading in a cross from Belanger.
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Canada’s impressive stats at this tournament are bettered only by the Americans – by far the most rated team in CONCACAF. Carolina Morace’s Canadian team, however, won’t bemoan their second-best stats, though – they’ll celebrate the fact that that their record puts them top of their group, and let’s them avoid the Americans in the semi-finals. With the top two teams in the tournament winning a place at the 2011 Women’s World Cup, Big Red can breathe a sigh of relief that their road to Germany isn’t blocked by the world’s No. 1, who battered Canada 5-0 at BMO Field in the latest encounter between the rivals. Not to say they’d do it again, but, y’know, we’re all happy that our qualification doesn’t demand knocking the best team in the world out of the tournament in the semifinals.
Instead, Canada will face Costa Rica, who fell 4-0 to the Americans, while beating Guatemala and Haiti. The task of toppling the U.S. now falls to Mexico. Good luck ladies. A loss wouldn’t mean the end of World Cup hopes for Mexico, though – they’ll play Costa Rica (once Canada beats them, that is…knock on wood, etc.) for the right to play Italy in a qualification playoff.
Watch Canada’s semifinal destruction of Costa Rica live on CBC.ca and CBC Bold at 7 p.m. est (6:30 p.m. pst).
- Jamie Doyle