Canadian head coach John Herdman has had a few recurring messages in the months-long run-up to the London Olympics. He has expressed his belief that, if things go Canada's way, the team can legitimately compete for a medal -- but he's also reminded us that for Canada to enter the true elite of the women's game (along with the Tier 1 teams: USA, Germany, Japan, France), much work remains to be done.
Looking purely at the scoreline of Saturday's friendly, one could say progress has been made by the Canadian team on that latter front, five months after a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of the U.S. in the final of the Olympic qualifying tournament. But on a boiling-hot afternoon at Rio Tinto stadium, the Americans once again showed that they are ranked #1 in the world -- and have been for most of the existence of the FIFA women's rankings -- for a reason.
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Canada wasn't played off the field by any stretch of the imagination, though it's safe to say that aside from a 15-minute stretch in the second half, the U.S. comfortably controlled most of the play.
Still, the case could be made that if not for an easily-preventable moment of miscommunication (Carmelina Moscato's own-goal) and a few debatable decisions (Christine Sinclair's deflected shot that Hope Solo remarkably somehow kept out of the net [or did she?]... Shannon Boxx receiving yellow, not red, for a reckless and retaliatory challenge on Kaylyn Kyle... Amy Rodriguez's late winner that had more than a whiff of offside to it), Canada could have claimed a point -- or all three.
But if we're talking hypothetically, then we could also say if the U.S. buried more of the dozen or so chances they created, and if Alex Morgan wasn't taken out of the game prematurely after tweaking her knee, the final scoreline could have been much less flattering to Big Red (or Big Blue, I suppose, wearing the Umbro centennial kits as they were). All we have to work with is the actual final scoreline. Two to one.
As for that "one"... plenty of good news there. Good work by Diana Matheson (damn is it good to have her back out there), an utterly sublime pass by Christine Sinclair and an excellent, composed finish by Melissa Tancredi. Against the run of play? Sure. But we'll take the highlight-reel markers where we can get them. And a confident Melissa Tancredi is a damned fine thing to have, especially since Canada's opponents know by now to mark the living hell out of Sinclair.
If Canada's to have any success going forward, the goal-scoring needs to be diversified. So to see Tancredi with such a cool finish -- and to see Jonelle Filigno back on the field and battling -- were both very positive signs as the Olympics approach.
As for that "two"... well, not as encouraging. It was disappointing to see communications break down between two players -- Moscato and goalkeeper Erin McLeod -- with so much experience playing for the national team. And the U.S.'s second goal came after the Americans were allowed a worrying amount of possession in and around the Canadians' penalty area.
Sure, the player with much of that possession was Abby Wambach, one of the best players in the world... but if Canada is to claim status as a Tier 1 side, and get to the point where medal contention is an expectation rather than a hope, then Wambach is the sort of player that needs to be handled more often than not.
The heat in Sandy, Utah was clearly stifling, given the number of players from both sides who routinely needed medical attention due to cramping. Perhaps the fatigue from the conditions explained the lack of precision late in the contest, but Canada seemed to be having trouble stringing together simple passes from the get-go. The Americans, buoyed by an enthusiastic home crowd, were applying plenty of pressure -- but then, being an elite side, and performing at the highest level, entails lots of pressure. Always. Coming from all sides.
This result isn't doom and gloom by any stretch of the imagination. And the Canadians still have a few pre-tournament games, to be played over in Europe, prior to the Olympic beginning. With a round-robin grouping of Japan, Sweden and South Africa, anything is possible. The "swing" game will be the one against Sweden, a side that most would agree occupies space in Tier 2 of the women's game, along with Canada.
So after today's match, Herdman's points both remain intact. If things go Canada's way at the Olympics, and they make their way into the knockout round, anything truly is possible. And while much work remains if Canada hopes to gain a foothold among the world's elite, we know from today, from last month's friendly from Moncton, and from everything we've seen from this team that they will go out there and compete. They will play, hard, for themselves and for the crest on their jerseys.
Whatever work remains to be done, at least the team has that solid base to build upon.
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