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TEAM CANADA: CANADA WINS FIFA WORLD CUP PLACE IN CHINA 23rd November, 2006 From a CSA Report Canada’s National Women’s Team defeated Jamaica 4-0 in Carson, California on Wednesday afternoon, 22nd November, 2006. The match was a semi-final of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup played in the Home Depot Centre for a berth to the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China. Canada will play in the CONCACAF Tournament final on Sunday at 8:30 pm ET against the United States, who won the other semi-final against Mexico 2:0.
Canada's recent performance at the Peace Queen Cup in South Korea, losing only one match, and that a narrow loss 0-1 loss to the USA in the Tournament final, was a confidence builder for this match. The odds were all in Canada’s favour. In previous games, the Canadians have dominated their Jamaican opponents at all levels. Canada has scored 31 goals, winning all previous encounters. However, Jamaica surprised Canada early in this match, forcing two quick corner kicks, and creating some pressure on Canada’s back four. It appeared that Canada might be in for a tough match. However, as the nerves were calmed, and the game settled in, so Canada gradually gained the upper hand. A Jamaican give-away at the ninth minute gave Christine Sinclair a wide open shot on goal. However, her powerful first time strike just missed the mark and sailed over the bar. Ottawa Fury player Rhian Wilkinson played a tireless first half. She came close at the 17th minute when she managed, from a tight angle, to hit the right hand post with a one time volley off a Melanie Booth cross. Team Captain Sinclair had her second scoring opportunity mid-way through the half when her shot was flicked inches over the bar by the Jamaican keeper, Paula Jackson. The ensuing corner kick led to a scramble in the box, but somehow, the ball trickled past the touch line for a goal kick. Shortly after, following a clinical cross from Wilkinson over two Jamaican defenders, Brittany Timko found herself wide open. Her blast went off the left hand post at the 34th minute. This story of frustration continued when Wilkinson, with a good touch in the penalty area, angled the ball just wide of the net at the 38th minute. Moments later, Sinclair executed a wonderful chip over Jackson, but it was a tad too heavy, finding only the cross bar and bouncing back into play. Canada came close on half a dozen chances, but couldn’t capitalize on these chances. Fortunately, Christine Sinclair orchestrated a world-class finish at the 40th minute. She took a cross ball
one time off her chest, and shot the ball into the top left corner with a superb volley. This was Sinclair’s 65th
goal in 86 games for the red and white. Canada led 1:0. Minutes later, the referee made a questionable call, following a "ghost" offside call from a linesman. She called back a Canadian goal judging that Diana Matheson was in an offside position. The Canucks led 1-0 at the half. The second half started well. Sinclair, with some tricky foot work in the box, made a flat pass in the penalty box to Rhian Wilkinson, who made no mistake with a one time shot for goal. Canada was 2-0 at the 51st minute. Twenty minutes later, at the 71st minute Canada went 3-0 up, when Jackson coughed up a rebound off a long range shot that found Sinclair in the box. The Canadian captain made no mistake, controlling the ball perfectly and knocking it home over the diving keeper for her second of the match. Canada didn’t stop there. Melanie Booth anticipated the play well in the 89th minute and made an impressive run all the way from defence, to score from a rebound with a sharply taken header, her first goal with the senior side. Head coach Even Pellerud made a number of substitutions in the second half calling mostly on experience. Andrea Neil, with the most caps on the Gold Cup roster with 123, and Quebec native Isabelle Morneau, with 86 caps, both substituted. Mississauga, Ontario native Robyn Gale also came on for her 10th appearance. Goalkeeper Erin McLeod of Calgary, Alberta, earned her seventh shut-out in her 27th appearance for the National Senior Team. “The goal for the tournament was to qualify for the World Cup, said Pellerud. There was a lot of pressure on the players. This may be why the team seemed nervous at the beginning of the game, but it was only a matter of time before they settled and played better. The team is ready for the Tournament Final.” Even Pellerud was pleased with the win, but took exception to the Jamaican style. The game was delayed several times to tend to Jamaican players who lay crumbled on the pitch, or for the goal kick to be taken by a midfield player.
"It's a delaying tactic," said an angry Pellerud. "The ball is in play maybe one third of the game. The rest is obstruction, cheating, lying down and crying. "It is so frustrating to play these games, and it has nothing to do with soccer. I call it anti-soccer." Jamaican coach Vin Blaine reacted angrily to the comments, but did not deny the use of the tactics. "He is a bit rude." Rogers Sportsnet will broadcast the 2006 CONCACAF GOLD CUP Final on Sunday. Match Statistics Canada 4 (1) RhianWilkinsonSoccer.com is the Official Website of Rhian Wilkinson. |
