Canada’s impressive showing at W Gold Cup bodes well for Olympics

The CONCACAF W Gold Cup is not making Canada coach Bev Priestman’s life any easier.

Not that she is complaining. Olympic champion Canada is the top-seeded team going into the weekend quarter-finals in Los Angeles, having outscored its opposition 13-0 in three wins with a combined 51-5 edge in shots.

But her players are adding to the degree of difficulty in selecting an 18-player roster for this summer’s Olympics.

“Definitely more difficult,” Priestman told reporters on Friday in Los Angeles, where the 10th-ranked Canadians take on No. 43 Costa Rica in the knockout round today in a repeat of the Group C matchup won 3-0 by Canada on Wednesday.

Priestman brought 23 players to the Gold Cup, with Sydney Collins and Nichelle Prince leaving early due to injury. Jayde Riviere, Janine Beckie and Desiree Scott are also spectators due to injury.

“There’s at least four who aren’t here that will be in contention,” the coach said. “And then the performances of some young players, I think have really stepped up. And then there’s been a level of consistency on the pitch. Every player has probably brought a little bit of their superstrength. So yes, definitely I walk away from this tournament with a lot to consider.”

Canada still has the SheBelieves Cup in April with more friendlies expected ahead of the Olympics.

Teenage attacker Olivia Smith has put up her hand, scoring her first goal and making her first start for the senior side. The 18-year-old, who plays for Portugal’s Sporting CP, has two goals and two assists in the three group games.

And while Cloe Lacasse arrived at the tournament as a known quantity with 28 caps (nine starts), the Arsenal striker has impressed with a goal and three assists in two starts.

Defender Shelina Zadorsky, just three caps short of her century, offered a timely reminder of her skills with two headed goals off set pieces Wednesday.

Jade Rose, one of the players who has kept Zadorsky out of the starting 11, continues to turn heads. At 21, with 15 caps to her credit, the Harvard co-captain continues to show her poise on the ball. Aston Villa striker Adriana Leon, meanwhile, is making her case to be one of the first names on Priestman’s team sheet, leading the tournament with five goals.

Priestman’s immediate concern is Costa Rica at BMO Stadium. While Canada has won all 16 previous meetings with the Central Americans, she expects a more difficult challenge when the teams run it back today.

“It is unique and I think it’s going to make it more of an interesting match,” said Priestman.

“Because in many ways we learned something from each other and it’s who can dissect that game and apply [the learnings] going into the next game.”