NOW THIS IS AN OPENING CEREMONY
Sinclair scores the clincher as Canadian women beat Australia in first Olympic match
They had an early start — two days before the official Opening Ceremony — and an early win. Janine Beckie scored 20 seconds into Canada’s match with fifth-ranked Australia and Christine Sinclair, pictured, sealed the win with a second-half goal as Canada beat the Aussies 2-0. Story,
SAO PAULO— 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 10thranked 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 goalline after it squibbed through Williams.
Sinclair put the final nail in the cof- fin in the 80th minute, beating Williams to a long Canadian ball from Fleming and then knocking it into an empty net.
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 cooly 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.