Thanks to Nigeria’s upset win, Canada finds itself in Women’s World Cup logjam
PERTH, Australia — After a wild night time in Perth, the Canadian ladies’s soccer workforce returned to its coaching base in Melbourne on Thursday to organize for what’s now a do-or-die match towards Australia on the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Hours after touchdown, seventh-ranked Canada discovered itself in a Group B logjam due to No. 40 Nigeria’s 3-2 upset win over No. 10 Australia within the closing sport of the day.
With one spherical of video games remaining, it’s all up for grabs in Group B. Olympic champion Canada may end first or second, reserving its ticket to the spherical of 16, or place third and head dwelling early.
Thursday’s upset victory moved the Super Falcons over Canada atop the group on superior objectives scored, with each groups on 4 factors. The co-host Matildas are third with three factors whereas No. 22 Ireland, with no factors, is out of the knockout-round image in fourth.
In the ultimate group video games Monday, it’s Canada versus Australia in Melbourne and Nigeria versus Ireland in Brisbane.
Australia has to beat Canada to maneuver on. The Canadians can advance with a draw or win.
Canada may nonetheless transfer on with a defeat — so long as Nigeria additionally loses and the ultimate objective distinction favours the Canadians.
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The workforce that finishes atop Group B will keep away from the winner of Group D, anticipated to be both No. 4 England or No. 13 Denmark, within the spherical of 16. The Group B runner-up faces the Group D winner.
But simply surviving the opening spherical is the quick process at hand.
Canada is coming off a 2-1 comeback win over Ireland on a moist depressing night Wednesday. The Canadians rebounded from a subpar efficiency within the first half, wanting shell-shocked after conceding a fourth-minute Olimpico objective by Irish star Katie McCabe off a nook.
Canada coach Bev Priestman despatched on Christine Sinclair and Sophie Schmidt together with defender Shelina Zadorsky to open the second half, a trio that entered the sport with a mixed 635 worldwide caps underneath their belt.
Sinclair and Schmidt confirmed that have with their composure on the ball, finishing passes that allowed the Canadians to attach once more.
“Our team MO (modus operandi) is that we’re resilient. We do not break. We bend,” stated Schmidt, whose good move arrange Adriana Leon for the successful objective within the 53rd minute. “And we got here again within the second half stronger.
“Sinc (Sinclair) just came in at halftime and was like ‘Welcome to the World Cup. This is what it’s all about.”’
But Schmidt acknowledged the Canadians must take it up a notch towards Australia.
“It’s an exciting game. Home team … Lots of fans,” stated Schmidt. “It’s going to be rocking in that stadium. I think we match up well against Australia. Similar playing styles. But yeah, I fancy our chances. We just need to continue and grow and build because the performance we had out there tonight (against Ireland) is not going to cut it against Australia.”
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The pro-Irish crowd in Perth gave the Canadians a style of what’s to come back Monday on the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium the place Canada performed Nigeria to a scoreless attract its match opener. Priestman referred to as the Irish sport “basically a rehearsal” for the Australia matchup.
Also proof of what the Olympic champions can accomplish once they hit prime gear.
“It’s a great experience for us to move forward from ? When we play brave, we can be unstoppable,” Priestman stated.
The Canadians performed the Matildas twice on Australia soil final September so is aware of what awaits them.
Canada is 8-7-3 all-time towards Australia and has gained the final three conferences, together with final yr’s 1-0 and 2-1 victories in Brisbane and Sydney, respectively. The Canadians are 6-2-2 towards the Matildas this century.
Leon scored all three objectives within the two most up-to-date victories.
Despite her workforce’s current success towards Australia, Priestman warned a troublesome problem awaits.
“Australia are a world-class side. And I feel like since we played them (in September) they’ve got better, so we’ve got to be prepared for that,” she stated.
There is a question-mark over Sinclair, who didn’t communicate to the media instantly after the Ireland win so she could possibly be checked out following an impactful second half off the bench.
“She looked like she was limping at the end there,” Priestman, awaiting a full medical report, stated after the Ireland sport.
The Australians are additionally hurting on the match with captain/star striker Sam Kerr but to play due to a calf damage.
The Matildas have been pressured into harm management mode when midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross advised a media availability Monday that Kerr had torn her calf. A Football Australia spokesman subsequently denied that however wouldn’t verify the extent of the damage or a timeline for the Chelsea star’s return.
Priestman famous the Canadians had confronted Kerr throughout the two September conferences.
“She’s a world-class player, of course. But what I do know is Australia, yes, Sam Kerr’s a big part of them but not the only part of them,” stated Priestman. “They do have threats across probably the front four, (like Arsenal striker) Caitlin Foord. They’ve got some real pace in that front forward line.”
Kerr isn’t the one strolling wounded within the Australia camp, nevertheless. Mary Fowler, who was set to begin for Kerr, and defender Aivi Luik are each coping with concussions suffered in coaching. Veteran ahead Kyah Simon remains to be working her manner again to full health within the wake of knee surgical procedure.
Midfielder Quinn, who goes by one identify, stated the Canadians are feeling good going into the matchup with the match co-hosts.
“I think we’re just getting the World Cup jitters out,” they stated. “We’re ready to go.”
BY THE NUMBERS: Canada’s win over Ireland represented the fiftieth for CONCACAF groups on the match, with the four-time champion Americans liable for 41 of these and Canada accounting for the opposite 9 … The Canadians turned simply the second workforce on the present competitors to come back from behind to win, becoming a member of Sweden which overturned a 1-0 deficit to defeat South Africa 2-1 … The Ireland contest additionally marked the primary time Canada has scored twice towards European opposition on the Women’s World Cup since its first-ever match on the match, a 3-2 loss to England in 1995 that noticed Helen Stoumbos and Geri Donnelly rating for Canada.
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