Canada vs. England - May 22 [R]

[DJT]

Women's World Cup Team

Thursday, May 22, 2003

Canada Defeats England 4:0

Ottawa, Ontario – Canada’s Women’s World Cup Team defeated England 4-0 on Thursday in an international friendly in front of 17,242 at Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa. Canada defeated England 4-0 on Monday in Lachine in the first of two friendlies.

Canada’s Andrea Neil opened the scoring in the eighth minute on a header after a great cross from Ottawa native Kristina Kiss.

Christine Latham beat England’s goal keeper Rachel Brown in the 17th minute after a Breanna Boyd cross.

Neil headed off a Charmaine Hooper corner in the 21st minute to score her second of the match.

In the 78th minute, Kara Lang increased Canada’s lead to four as she raced up the left side to beat England’s Pauline Cope to the far post.

Karina LeBlanc earned the shut out for Canada for her 9th of her career.

Canada is scheduled to play Mexico on June 12 and 14 in Mexico.

May 22, 2003 – International Friendly

Frank Clair Stadium – Ottawa, Ontario

Canada 4 (3)

England 0 (0)

Cautions: Canada - Brittany Timko (40); England - 9-Carmaine Walker (43)

Goals: 5-Andrea Neil (8, 21); 2-Christine Latham (17); - Kara Lang (78)

Canada: 1 – Karina LeBlanc; 2-Christine Latham; 3-Breanna Boyd; 5-Andrea Neil; 6-Sharolta Nonen; 8-Kristina Kiss (7-Diana Matheson, 63); 9-Candace Chapman (13-Melanie Booth, 80); 10-Charmaine Hooper © (17-Amber Allen, 68); 11- Randee Hermus (4. Sasha Andrews, 76); 15-Kara Lang; 16-Brittany Timko (12-Veronique Maranda, 84); Subs Not Used: 14-Carmelina Moscato; 22-Erin McLeod; 22 – Taryn Swiatek; Head Coach: Even Pellerud.

England: 1-Rachel Brown(13-Pauline Cope, 45); 2-Casey Stoney; 3-Rachel Unitt; 4-Samantha Britton (15- Alexa Hunn, 87); 5-Laura Bassett; 6-Mary Phillip; 7- Jody Handley; 8-Vicky Exley; 9-Carmaine Walker; 10-Kelly McDougall (14-Karen Walker, 45); 11-Rachel Yankey; Subs Not Used: 12-Leanne Champ; 16- Amanda Barr; 17-Kristy Moore; 18-Sue Smith; 19-Ellen Maggs; 20-Rachel McArthur; 21-Kirsty Pealing. Head Coach: Hope Powell

[MikeD]

I dragged my co-worked and his wife to this match, neither had been to a soccer game before, and they both loved it. We had seats in the front row in the north stand, right about level with the top of the area in the Canadian end. They both said that they want to go to the Brazil match in July, which the CSA was heavily promoting during this match.

Other tidbits from the match:

1) The stadium announcer made a funny mistake at the beginning of the match when she was welcoming everyone "to tonight's international hockey...I mean soccer match!"

2) There was annoucement at the start of the second half congratulating the Ottawa Wizards on their CPSL Triple Crown victory last season and noting that the team was in attendance.

Mike D

[MikeD]

Here's a write up on the match from today's Ottawa Sun. It was accompanied by a match photo of Kanata-native Kristina Kiss.

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Friday, May 23, 2003

Canada doubles up

Shutout wraps English sweep

By TODD SAELHOF, Ottawa Sun

 It was a jolly good soccer show for the Canadian women last night at Frank Clair Stadium.

Jolly good, indeed, using their hearts -- and their heads -- for a formidable 4-0 win over visiting England. Best of all, Canada's second straight shutout of the overwhelmed opposition was keyed by two local heroes, as Charmaine Hooper and Kristina Kiss felt the warmth of a lively crowd of 17,242 fans.

"It was just great playing in front of that many people here and in front of people who know who you are," said Kiss, a 23-year-old Kanata native in her 37th game for the World Cup team. "I'm happy with my performance and happy to be part of two good results (including Canada's 4-0 win over England three nights earlier in Montreal)."

"I think I did my part," echoed the 35-year-old Hooper, the Canada's all-time leader in games played after dressing in her 96th match. "But most important was, first of all, playing a good game as a team and, of course, winning the game.

"One thing we have struggled with in the past is consistency -- playing well from one game to the next ... So for us, our priority is to have a high level of play each game out."

Hooper, a Nepean native, made sure of that last night, leading her teammates by example -- especially on situational kicks. Two of her corner kicks led to goals by Vancouver's Andrea Neil, including the opener in the eighth minute. Kiss also chipped in on the first goal by collecting a loose ball off Hooper's corner and crossing it deep into the box, where Neil headed it past England goalkeeper Rachel Brown.

Kiss had nearly helped put Canada on the board earlier when, in the second minute of action, her corner kick was nearly struck for a goal by Oakville's Kara Lang.

Calgary's Christine Latham added to Canada's lead in the 17th minute, putting her head to Breanna Boyd's crossing kick from the left side. Then in the 21st minute came Neil's second heads-up goal on another corner kick from Hooper.

"We've got giants on our team that can get a foot or two off the ground, and they're amazing," said Kiss. "Nine out of 10 times, they'll win the ball for us."

Those three they won for goals proved more than enough. But Lang rounded out scoring the old-fashioned way in the 78th minute, streaking in off the left wing to fire a ball to the far side past the outstretched English 'keeper. At the other end, Canadian 'keeper Karina LeBlanc earned the shutout.

It upped Canada's record to 3-2-2 in preparation for the Women's World Cup in early fall. Next up is a two-game set against Brazil, including a July 20 match at Frank Clair.

Canada 4

England 0

Mike D