Scoreless draw on a stormy night
Draw leaves host country atop the Group A standings
Canada’s Christine Sinclair, right, and New Zealand’s Betsy Hassett battle during FIFA Women’s World Cup action at Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday as the teams play to a 0-0 draw. The match was delayed by severe weather including a downpour of rain. The draw puts Canada at the top of Group A in the tournament.
O Canada, the standings might look impressive but the game still needs some polish.
Or finish if you will, because Team Canada may have taken another step in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup toward the round of 16, but they did so by way of a 0-0 draw against New Zealand.
Thursday’s result, in Group A play, on a rain-soaked Commonwealth Stadium pitch, put Canada atop the group with four points, followed by China and the Netherlands (with three points each).
New Zealand is now 0-1-1.
“The good news is that we’re still at the top of the group,” said Canadian coach John Herdman.
“We just have to hit the back of the net and take the pressure off.”
The match was just four minutes old when a blast of thunder and threats of nearby lightening strikes prompted referee Bibiana Steinhaus to send the players off the pitch.
A mandatory 30-minute delay followed. Once play resumed, the sun emerged, the downpour dried up and the teams went to work. The Football Ferns, who have never won a World Cup match, were clearly not ready to concede anything to the Canadians.
They drew free kicks in the first half, had corner kicks to work with and essentially set the pace in the first 45 minutes.
Thirty minutes in, Canada’s Allysha Chapman challenged Hannah Wilkinson in the box, resulting in a penalty kick for New Zealand.
Amber Hearn, the Ferns’ all-time leading scorer with 45 goals in 100 matches, hit the crossbar, leaving the door ajar for Canada.
“I think it was a very even match. We had a lot of chances and we’re unlucky not to come away with the win,” said New Zealand goalkeeper Erin Nayler, who was named the player of the match.
She stopped Melissa Tancredi late in the second half, nabbed a header from Jonelle Filigno and turned away a left foot strike from Christine Sinclair.
At the other end of the pitch, Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod tipped a free kick attempt over the crossbar, turned away Hearn, and was surely more active than anticipated.
“I thought we were the better team but we have to find the back of the net, and that’s our challenge going into the next game,” said Herdman.
“We’re still in the driving seat to finish at the top of the group — and that’s our goal. Canada just seems to do it the hard way ... that’s how we roll.”
Canada does have work to do if they’re going to advance. They have to find some finish.
In their opener, they scored one goal against China.
Nevertheless, Canada had never started a World Cup 1-0 so the undefeated start is encouraging for a country whose best finish was fourth in 2003. During the last World Cup, in 2011, they were eliminated before the group stage was even over.
Sinclair, the face of the Canadian team, did what she could on the eve of her 32nd birthday to secure another three points for Canada.
She was kept off the score sheet in the 48th minute when Nayler tipped another of her attempts up and off the crossbar. Canada spent more time in New Zealand’s half in the final 45 minutes but again, couldn’t find the back of the net.
Finish is something New Zealand has been lacking as well. They have conceded just one goal so far in the tournament but have not yet scored.
“When the final whistle went we were really disappointed we didn’t come away with the three points. We felt we did enough,” said coach Tony Readings.
“We know it’s going to come. One day we’re going to beat someone three, four, five-nil because we do create the chances. We just need it to go in. We’ve definitely created enough chances.”
New Zealand will play China (1-1) on June 15 in Winnipeg Stadium while Canada takes on the Netherlands (1-1) in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.
“If our front five can start finding the back of the net, this Canada team is going to be decent,” Herdman said. “I’m quite happy with the chances we had. I’m just disappointed we couldn’t find the net.”