Chapman’s persistence rewarded, on pitch and off
The soccer world is getting to know Swiss star Ramona Bachmann, but nothing about her play surprises Allysha Chapman.
Canada’s steady, sturdy left-back spent three years in Sweden, where Bachmann plays for perennial power FC Rosengård.
So Chapman’s seen her share of dazzling Bachmann runs and goal celebrations.
Soft-spoken off the field, Chapman will surely have a few words with her teammates before Sunday’s do-ordie round-of-16 game against Switzerland at B.C. Place (4:30 p.m.).
“It’s just about not letting her get a turn,” said Chapman, a 26-year-old from Oshawa, Ont. “That’s her bread and butter. She likes to take people on 1 v. 1, but if you go in on her hard, and don’t let her turn, she’s a lot easier to handle.” Easier, but not easy. As coach John Herdman has noted, shutting down the dynamic duo of Bachmann and Lara Dickenmann will be job one defensively for Canada, who have so much to gain and so much to lose on Sunday, in front of 55,000 fans and with a nation looking on. Then, all they have to do is score a goal.
Chapman’s been among Canada’s best players at this FIFA Women’s World Cup. She’s a pain in the butt to play against. You could make instructional videos of her wedging her body between the opponent and the ball, and shepherding it out of play.
In her own box, she puts her body on the line.
“She’ll do absolutely anything to keep the ball out of the net,” said Erin McLeod, the Canadian goalkeeper.
Chapman can attack, too, and Canada’s fullbacks must get involved offensively on Sunday. Josée Bélanger, a natural forward filling in for the previously injured Rhian Wilkinson, has shown a spark at right-back.
As good as Canada’s been defensively — one goal conceded in three group games — they’ve been dormant in the final third. Two goals, one from the penalty spot on a 50-50 call, were enough to win the group.
Chapman said Canada’s improved from game to game and the best is yet to come.
She feels the same about herself. She admitted she had “a bad start against China,” when she needed to get the jitters out in the opening game at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.
“It’s getting easier as it goes along,” said Chapman, who has 15 caps for Canada. “It’s a little overwhelming when it’s the first time that many people are watching you play, but we’re comfortable in front of those crowds. We’ve prepared for it and it’s been great.”
She’s not just been among Canada’s top performers. She’s among the best stories, too.
If Herdman hadn’t returned her email when he did, or if Chapman hadn’t been out injured during a call-up period for Scotland, she might be in blue and not red.
Frozen out of the national program under former coach Carolina Morace, Chapman, a former Canadian U20 player, had tried to get Herdman’s attention.
She was ever so close to pursuing Plan B — playing for Scotland through her mother’s heritage.
Herdman told her to get herself on a first division team in Sweden and then he’d take a serious look.
She did. He did. And neither has looked back.
Chapman, who played the 2014 season for Eskilstuna United, made her senior international debut last October — a friendly against world champion Japan in Edmonton.
“What we really needed was a genuine left-footed player,” Herdman said before the Women’s World Cup began. “Defensively, there’s just no going past her. And the bonus was that she brought that pace to match the Lerouxs and Morgans.
“What she’s pushed for over the last few months is that consistency in her attacking work.”
Asked what it has meant to this team to finally end the merry-goround at left-back, McLeod used the word “relief.”
“I’m not discrediting any of the fullbacks that we’ve had,” she said, “but Chappy — she’s been one of our best players.
“The coolest thing is she was trying to get a hold of Carolina, trying to get a hold of John, and finally John gave her a chance.”
All it took was a little persistence from Chapman, and perhaps some desperation from Herdman, who didn’t want to leave any stone unturned before 2015.
He’s never pretended it was his plan all along.
“He’s actually pretty good at admitting when he’s wrong,” said McLeod.
He’ll look plenty smart if Chapman continues to deliver on Sunday.