WOMEN WIN OLYMPIC OPENER
left, scores her team’s second goal during the 2016 Summer Olympics women’s soccer match between Canada and Australia at the Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, on Wednesday. Canada won 2-0. For scheduling reasons, soccer kicked off two days before Friday’s opening ceremonies. Game coverage
Janine Beckie made Olympic history with a goal after 20 seconds and captain Christine Sinclair added some late insurance as Canada, despite playing a woman down for 71 minutes, defeated Australia, 2-0, in Rio 2016 soccer action Wednesday.
The fifth-ranked Matildas will feel gutted that they could not turn their numerical advantage into goals. They had plenty of chances, especially in the first half. But the 10th-ranked Canadian women showed grit to hang on and then a killer instinct at the end.
It was Australia that had to play desperate defence in the dying minutes as they were caught pressing for an equalizer.
Lydia Williams saved a Beckie penalty in the 73rd minute after what was deemed an Australia handball in the box. Then Laura Alleway cleared a Jessie Fleming shot off the goal-line after it squibbed through Williams.
Sinclair put the final nail in the coffin in the 80th minute, beating Williams to a long Canadian ball from Fleming and then knocking it into an empty net. She celebrated with verve, clenching her fists.
Australian coach Alen Stajcic credited Canada’s defence while targeting his team’s lacklustre second-half performance.
“We just weren’t good enough,” he said.
It was a roller-coaster game filled with drama, and it started with a bang.
Canada came out pressing and it paid off immediately. Sinclair intercepted Alleway’s pass to defensive partner Alanna Kennedy in front of the penalty box. And when Alleway rushed out at the Canadian captain to repair the damage, Sinclair coolly rolled a perfect pass through her legs to
Beckie who tapped the ball past a diving Williams.
It took just 20 seconds, a record for the Olympic women’s competition, according to FIFA. Mexico’s Oribe Peralta had the previous quickest goal when he scored within 30 seconds in the 2012 men’s final against Brazil.
But the early goal proved to be a tonic for the Matildas, who came at Canada in waves for the rest of the first half. Canada’s dream start soon turned into a half that probably could not end quickly enough for coach John Herdman.
Australia began to come back and Samantha Kerr had a couple of good chances. Then Canadian centre back Shelina Zadorsky was red-carded in the 19th minute for pulling down Michelle Heyman as the Aussie was about to go in alone on goal. Zadorsky grabbed her shoulder and Heyman, feeling the contact, went down.
French referee Stephanie Frappart pulled out her red without hesitation. Elise Kellond-Knight hit the ensuing free kick from just outside the box off the goalpost.
Herdman had to sacrifice forward Melissa Tancredi to insert defender Rebecca Quinn. Still, Australia continued to slash holes in his defence. Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe made a good save early on but seemed at sea as Australia sent in a series of crosses into the Canadian penalty box.
Labbe managed to clean up several Canadian messes, enduring the same kind of Jekyll and Hyde half as her team.
Australia outshot Canada 11-2 (6-1 in shots on target) in the first half and had 60 per cent of the possession. Herdman replaced Rhian Wilkinson with Allysha Chapman to open the second half as rain sprinkled and the sky turned grey.
Labbe made a big save early in the second, palming an Australia shot over the bar. Then it was the Matildas’ turn for some desperate defence with a lunging tackle eliminating a goal threat.
Canada mounted a few challenges of its own, with Labbe stepping up when needed, and took advantage late as the Australians pressed for a tying goal.
Wednesday’s game was played at the Corinthians Arena, home to the Corinthians football club in the sprawling metropolis of Sao Paulo — Brazil’s largest city at 20 million-plus. While not a sellout, the enthusiastic crowd of some 20,500 roared at every twist and turn.
Canada plays No. 93 Zimbabwe at the same venue on Saturday and could be back later on. The pristine white stadium, built for the 2014 men’s World Cup, will host the winner of Canada’s group F in the quarter-finals as well as the bronze medal match.
Herdman made one change from his expected lineup, with Sophie Schmidt dropping to the bench. Tancredi started up front in his 4-3-3 formation with Diana Matheson moving to the midfield.
The Canadians came into the game 5-3-7 all-time against the Matildas but held a 32-2 edge since 2000.