RHIAN SOCCER AND MEDIA REPORTS

CANADA COME FROM BEHIND TO DEFEAT SWEDEN 22 Nov 2011

From CSA Report

Canada battled back from a one-goal deficit to defeat Sweden 2:1 in a Women's International Friendly match in Phoenix, AZ. Christine Sinclair notched her 120th goal for Canada in added time. The goal was the final touch to an impressive performance by the Canadians. “Even going in at the half down a goal, I didn’t think the result was going to be in doubt,” said Canadian Head Coach John Herdman. “In the second half, we pushed our fullbacks and kept the tempo up. I think the Swedes were hoping for the final whistle

The victory was Canada's second this year against Sweden, with Sinclair scoring the winning goal in both victories. “It’s not the greatest goal you’ll ever see, but we’ll take it,” said Sinclair. “To score so late in the game was huge.”

Jessica Landström scored for Sweden at the end of the first half before substitute Chelsea Buckland scored her first international goal in the 75th minute. The match was played at Grand Canyon University Soccer Field in Phoenix, Arizona. It was a full international friendly, but the crowd was restricted to fewer than 100 people as tickets were not on general sale.

Early in the match, Canada looked sharp and had control of the ball. The However, the Canadian team just could not break through. Perhaps the best chance came shortly after the half-hour mark when Sinclair was sent through on Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl. Sinclair shot from 12 metres out, but Lindahl made an exceptional save.

Late in the first half, Sweden hit the target in the 44th minute. Landström connected for a fast volley off a Swedish corner kick.

In the second half, Canada made several changes and again pushed forward. On one chance, Sinclair sent Kelly Parker in, but Parker hit her shot wide from 15 yards out.

Finally in the 75th minute, just a couple of minutes after her entry to the game, Buckland evened the score 1-1. On the play, Kaylyn Kyle ran through on goal only to carom her right-footed drive off the post. Buckland was on the spot to finish off the rebound from just outside the six-yard box. “I was so excited at just being able to come into this camp,” said Buckland after scoring her first international goal. “Coming on to score the equalizer was just ten times better.”

With the match level at 1-1, Sweden’s Sofia Jakobsson had two glorious chances to put her side ahead in the 86th and 88th minutes, but failed to hit the target with either of her attempts from close range. Canada scored soon after. Kaylyn Kyle swung an excellent corner to the back post where Emily Zurrer met the ball with a sharp header back across goal. Sinclair instinctively shaped her body up to the ball and it deflected into the goal."It wasn't the prettiest goal, but we'll take it," said Sinclair, who now has 120 international goals in her career.

After going ahead so late in the game, the match looked to be won for Canada. Sweden, however, was able to muster one final chance in the last minute of added time. Lotta Schelin found herself alone in the Canadian box and dispatched a sharp shot to the far post, but goalkeeper Erin McLeod was on hand to make an impressive save with her left leg.

Only second later the referee signalled for full time.

Canada Starting XI  Karina LeBlanc in goal, Rhian Wilkinson at right back, Candace Chapman and Carmelina Moscato at centre back, Lauren Sesselmann at left back, and Kaylyn Kyle, Desiree Scott, Christine Sinclair, Sophie Schmidt, Melissa Tancredi and Kelly Parker from the midfield up through to the attack.

At the start of the second half, coach John Herdman replaced LeBlanc with Erin McLeod, Moscato with Emily Zurrer and Sesselmann with Melanie Booth. He then replaced Tancredi with Christina Julien (63rd minute), Scott with Alyscha Mottershead (73'), and Schmidt with Chelsea Buckland (73').

Of note in the match, substitute Emily Zurrer became the 25th player to make her 50th appearance for Canada. She capped the milestone match with an assist on the Sinclair goal. Also of note, substitute Mottershead made her international debut.

This was Canada's 14th victory of the season, a new national record. With an unbeaten string of six matches, Canada has 14 wins, four draws and six losses in 24 matches this 2011 season.

Canada tied its record of 24 international matches in a single season (equal to the record established in 2008). Starter Schmidt, the only player to appear in every match, set the Canadian record for matches in a season (one better than Candace Chapman in 2008 and Kaylyn Kyle in 2011).

Also of note, this marks the first time Canada has won two matches against three-time FIFA Women's World Cup medalist Sweden in the same year. In the last six international match ups since 2005, Canada and Sweden have split the series three wins apiece.

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