SOCCER REPORTS

CANADA EARNS THREE POINTS              30th October 2010

(From CSA Report)

Canada picked up three points in its opening match at the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier. They defeated Trinidad and Tobago by 1:0 in the Friday 29 October group match at Estadio Beto Ávila in Cancún, Mexico. The win puts Canada in second place behind Mexico, who won its opening match 7:2 over Guyana in the second group match of the night.

"It’s true that the first match is always the toughest, but we missed too many chances to score,' said Canadian national head coach Carolina Morace. 'We created four or five clear chances, chances (from which) we have to score."

In the opposite group (Group B), USA and Costa Rica each have three points after their opening-day wins on Thursday 28 October. USA won 5:0 over Haiti while Costa Rica won 1:0 over Guatemala. Group B action continues on Saturday 30 October.Canada got its 2010 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier campaign off to a good start with a narrow victory over Trinidad and Tobago on Friday 29 October in Cancún, Mexico.

Despite dominating for much of the match, Canada struggled to break down a physical Trinidad and Tobago side. Melissa Tancredi scored the lone goal in the 63rd minute following an explosive end-to-end counterattacking move from the Canadians. For her part, Tancredi couldn’t be happier that the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers are being hosted in Mexico: she has scored in all five international matches she has played in Mexico.

The match kicked off in extremely humid conditions as late afternoon shadows stretched across the Estadio Beto Ávila. In the early stages, both teams showed evidenced of the nerves that often accompany participation in major championships. "We were very anxious, very tense," said national head coach Carolina Morace.

Canada had the first clear chance of the match in the fifth minute as Christine Sinclair made a great through pass to find Tancredi behind the Trinidad defence, but goalkeeper Kimika Forbes was quickly off her line to beat her to the ball. The ball ricocheted kindly for Belanger who had an empty goal to shoot, but she shpt wide.

The physical  nature of the match was seen when Canadian centre back Emily Zurrer was forced to leave the pitch for several minutes due to a severe gash on her forehead which required stitches. She returned wearing heavy bandaging on her head.

Through the opening stages Canada dominated proceedings and nearly made the breakthrough as Sinclair escaped her marker and made a hard header on goal from a Rhian Wilkinson corner kick. Unfortunately for Sinclair and Canada her powerful effort went straight to Forbes in the Trinidad goal.

Soon after, Tancredi thought she had given Canada a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute, but the goal was inexplicably called back for offside. Video replays on television showed a lineswoman making an error. This error was repeated when Tancredi put the ball in the goal for a second time, but once more offside was called.

Canada entered the first half break pleased with its territorial domination, but frustrated with its inability to convert all its possession into goals, samnd increasingly frustrated at the numerous "injuries."

The second half continued in much the same fashion as the first and Canada was on the attack quickly. Just three minutes after the restart Bélanger dug out an excellent cross for Sinclair who bravely challenged with Forbes in the Trinidad and Tobago goal, but her redirection went narrowly wide.

Canada had a dangerous looking opportunity on the hour mark as the ball pinged around the Trinidad penalty area and four Canadians fired shots at the Trinidad goal only to see them all blocked.

Three minutes later Canada made the long awaited breakthrough and the quality of the goal made it worth the wait. A great counterattacking move from Canada started deep in its own half as a slick touch from Jonelle Filigno freed Matheson who quickly found Sinclair running at the Trinidad defence. Sinclair looked up and picked out Rhian Wilkinson charging forward from her right full back position. Wilkinson then chipped a nice ball over the top into the path of Tancredi who calmly picked her spot and beat Forbes for the opening goal. The goal was just reward for Tancredi who was one of the hardest working players on the night for Canada.

Second half substitute Jonelle Filigno then had an excellent chance to extend the lead as she broke through free on goal, but she rushed ger shot and the ball rolled just wide of the goal in the 73rd minute.

Canada comfortably saw out the remainder of the match, as Karina LeBlanc was rarely tested in the Canadian goal. Trinidad and Tobago's best player was right winger Ahkeela Mollon, a late addition to the Soca Princesses lineup from her club team in Sweden.

Coach Morace selected a 4-3-3 formation to start the match which saw Karina LeBlanc in goal, Marie-Eve Nault, Emily Zurrer, Candace Chapman, and Rhian Wilkinson left to right across the back line, Kaylyn Kyle, Diana Matheson and Sophie Schmidt in midfield, and Josée Bélanger, Melissa Tancredi, and Christine Sinclair in attack.

Coach Morace made her first substitiution of the match in the 53rd minute as Bélanger was replaced by Jonelle Filigno. Canada made its second and third substitutions in quick succession as goal scorer Tancredi made way for Desiree Scott in the 73rd minute and Schmidt was replaced by Carmelina Moscato two minutes later.

Next up for Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and presenting sponsor is Teck, is Guyana on Sunday 31 October. Guyana and Mexico played in the second Group A match immediately following the Canada - Trinidad and Tobago on Friday night, with Mexico winning 7 - 2. All of Canada’s Group A matches are being played at the Estadio Beto Ávila in Cancún.