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SOCCER MEDIA REPORTS: CANADA FINISH OFF FRIENDLIES WITH A BANG
15th September 2003 Canada confirmed their billing as North America’s second-best side beating brave Australia 2-0 at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ontario. Two goals in two minutes from Charmaine Hooper and Rhian Wilkinson earned the Canucks their third consecutive shut-out in front of a crowd of 10,068 in their final pre FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 2003 friendly.
With ten minutes to go in the first half, the much-improved Australians looked like getting on the board. On the end of some impressive moments of free-flowing football, it took a lunging clearance off the line by Hooper to keep Heather Garriock’s goal-bound strike from bulging the back of the net. With Sinclair on for the ineffective Christine Latham at the start of the second period, Canada showed their teeth and dragged the game back their way. And in the 72nd minute the instrumental Hooper rose brilliantly to nod home an inch-perfect corner from Kiss for the game’s opening goal. The match-winner was Hooper’s 58th goal for the Great White North. Just one minute after the restart, Wilkinson sealed Australia’s fate. Unleashing a ferocious right-footed rocket she left Kell without a hope in the world. With a slew of changes in the second period, Pellerud had a good look at some lesser known corners of his talented side -- Diana Matheson, Sasha Andrews, Isabelle Morneau and Taryn Swiatek. “This was a game that got away from us,” said Australian head coach Adrian Santrac to Soccer Australia’s official web site. “The first half is the best that we have performed on our tour. The game should have been over at half time…but it’s no good creating chances if you don’t take them. And in the end, we were punished for two simple errors.” Canada open their USA 2003 account against fancied Germany on 20 September in Columbus, Ohio, while Australia take on Russia on 21 September at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.
Canada:
Australia:
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Canada coach Even Pellerud was in an experimental mood and decided to sit star striker Christine Sinclair for the first half, opting to use Wilkinson and teenage sensation Kara Lang. And the Canadians nearly got on the board after only five minutes. Kristina Kiss almost caught the Matildas cold with a delicate chip from a tough angle. Fortunately for the out-of-position goalkeeper Cassandra Kell, the shot slipped harmlessly over the bar and out for a goal kick.