RHIAN'S SOCCER REPORTS

CANADA TO FINALS OF CYPRUS CUP      7th March 2011

 From CSA and CBC Reports

Today, Canada continued to impress, defeating England 2-0 n Nicosia to advance to the final of the Cyprus Cup women's soccer tournament
Canada won its third-straight match in the final match of the group phase. Christine Sinclair and Brittany Timko both scored for Canada while goalkeeper Erin McLeod kept the clean sheet with the help of a strong defensive line.

"All our players sacrificed to win this match," said Canadian coach Carolina Morace. "They did exactly what we asked them to do just yesterday (before this match). It was the first time we have played in this new way." Morace was happy with the performance, given her team succeeded in its strategy of clogging up the midfield when the English had the ball. Canada played a 4-1-4-1 formation with Sinclair as the lone striker and Carmelina Moscato as a holding midfielder.

Coach Morace was impressed with her entire squad from the back to the front. Canada and England, both ranked amongst the top-10 nations in the world, have faced each other in each of the last three Cyprus Women's Cup competitions. Morace explains that Canada is an improved team from last year when they played England. "This year, we are more confident," said Morace. "We believe in ourselves more. And England are in the middle of their season and so they are more prepared than us. It was an important win."

Both sides played well in the first half with the defences winning most of the battles. If there was half a chance, the opposing side quickly shut it down. England's Anita Asante tried a shot in the 23rd minute, but fired high above the net. Canada's Diana Matheson tried a shot of her own in the 30th minute, but that shot too was well above the target.

In the 33rd minute, a deft through ball by Matheson put Sinclair on the run, but three England defenders were there to close the space.

Finally, in the last minute of the first half, Canada scored. It began with another pressing run by captain Sinclair. Coming up the left side, she forced the English defenders back on their heels. Just as she pushed her way onto goal and drew the defenders to her attack, she made a pass to Matheson on her right, who unleashed a quick shot from the opposite top of the box.

Goalkeeper Karen Beardsley stopped Matheson's shot, but could not hold on to the ball. Sinclair jumped on what turned out to be a pair of quick rebounds before she put the ball in the back of the net.

In the second half, it was the fresh legs of substitute Brittany Timko that gave the English defenders problems. Just a couple of minutes after her entry, Timko took advantage of combination play between Sinclair and Matheson. Timko was sent on the run and pressed her opponents for a Canadian corner kick.

Timko was at it again and again until she was finally given a great pass from defender Candace Chapman in the 55th minute. Timko timed her run perfectly, caught the pass, and then without a moment of hesitation sailed a quick shot over Bardsley who was off her line by just a telling few metres. The ball went over Bardsley, under the crossbar, and into the goal for a 2-0 Canadian lead.

England did not give up and they continued to attack. Captain Faye White thought she had the first marker in the 76th minute with a header off an England corner kick, but a foul had already been called by the referee Ausra Kance.

For the last 21 minutes, the rain came down hard and then harder, but neither side seemed to be affected. England's last chance came in the 89th minute off a cross and a header, but McLeod was there to make the save.

Canada's starting XI featured Erin McLeod in goal, Melanie Booth, Candace Chapman, Emily Zurrer and Rhian Wilkinson at the back, and Desire Scott, Sophie Schmidt, Diana Matheson, Carmelina Moscato, Chelsea Stewart and Christine Sinclair. Booth, Scott, Moscato and Stewart were all starting their first match of the competition.

In the second half, coach Morace replaced Stewart, Scott, Booth, Schmidt and Sinclair with Brittany Timko (46th minute), Robyn Gayle (65'), Marie-Eve Nault (66'), Kaylyn Kyle (83') and Christina Julien (86').

Canada now advances to the 2011 Cyprus Women's Cup championship final, where they will face The Netherlands, winner of Group B, on Wednesday 9 March.