Women’s Olympic Qualifying: Canada Tops Group A, Heads To Semi-Final

VANCOUVER, BC — Canada overpowered Costa Rica 5:1 to claim first place in Group A at 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying at BC Place in Vancouver on 23 January.

The Canadians will now head into the all-important semi-final match on 27 January with the advantage of facing the lower seed from the opposing pool. Canada must win the one-off match to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

John Herdman’s side got off to a flying start on the night as Christine Sinclair was on the spot to put away the finish from inside the Costa Rican six-yard box to give Canada the one-nil lead in the sixth minute.

Sophie Schmidt was the next to score for Big Red as, similarly to Sinclair, she found herself in the right spot at the right time to put away a chance from close range.

If the first two Canadians goals were a product of some sloppy defending in the area, the third was a moment of combined class from Sinclair and Kaylyn Kyle. Following a pass from Kelly Parker, Sinclair took on her defenders down the right side and floated a sublime cross across the face of goal to Kyle who did well to beat the offside trap and power home a header at the far post.

After going three goals up in the first twenty minutes of play Canada’s attack stagnated during the latter stages of the first, half but it was Sinclair who inevitably found the fourth goal for her side.

Rhian Wilkinson lofted a curling cross to the penalty spot which Sinclair chested down with ease and passed home a pin-point finish to make it four-nil in the 45th minute.

Following the half-time interval Canada were handed a fifth goal in positively bizarre fashion in the 50th minute.

Costa Rican defender Marianne Ugalde played a gentle pass back to goalkeeper Julieth Arias who hesitated and let the ball drift over the line for a shocking own goal.

The majority of the second period rolled past without event, but it was Costa Rica who found the final goal of the contest.

Canada were caught off guard at the back as a diagonal ball was floated to Fernanda Barrantes who brought the cross down and smashed a half-volley to the top corner in the 89th minute.

Coach Herdman elected to make a number of changes to the Canadian squad that defeated Cuba two days earlier. Canada started with Karina LeBlanc in goal and Rhian Wilkinson, Candance Chapman, Shannon Woeller and Melanie Booth across the backline (right to left). Desiree Scott, Sophie Schmidt, Kaylyn Kyle, Kelly Parker, Christine Sinclair and Christine Julien made up the rest of the lineup from the midfield through to the attacking line.

Canada made two substitutions to start the second half with Kyle and Wilkinson replaced by Chelsea Buckland and Robyn Gayle, respectively. Schmidt was replaced by Brittany Timko for Canada’s third substitute on the evening (62nd minute).

Of note, Canada extended its current unbeaten streak to nine matches, third longest in women’s team history. Midfielder Desiree Scott was selected Canada’s player of the match. As for Sinclair, who scored the 126th and 127th goals of her career, she has scored in each of the last five matches.

The Monday night group stage match at BC Place was watched by a crowd of 8,105.

Canada WNT enjoys momentum in Vancouver
Attendance for Canada’s first two matches averaged just over 10,000 fans, which more than doubles the average attendance to which Canada has played over the last 20 years in CONCACAF women’s “A” qualification tournaments. From 1994 to 2010, that average was 4,991 per Canada match, including matches played in Canada in 1994, 1998 and 2002. The previous attendance high in Canada was 4,971 for the championship final in 1998, surpassed last Thursday in Vancouver by 7,627 fans for the Canada-Haiti group match and then again on Saturday by 12,417 fans for the Canada-Cuba group match.

The group stage concludes Tuesday 24 January with USA fighting Mexico for first place in Group B. Attendance for the opening Group B matches featuring the defending Olympic champion USA was 6,321 on 20 January and 6,738 on 22 January.