Canadians cruise in win over Zimbabwe
Victory guarantees spot in Olympic quarter-finals
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL— Two games into the Olympic soccer tournament and the Canadian women are on point. They lead their group with two wins and six points. And every player on the roster has seen action.
On Saturday, they did what was expected in dispatching a game-but-out-matched Zimbabwe side 3-1 with two goals from Janine Beckie and one by Christine Sinclair.
Despite a late strike by the 93rdranked Africans, the win was never in doubt. The 10th-ranked Canadians opened Wednesday with a 2-0 victory over No. 5 Australia.
Coupled with Germany’s 2-2 tie with Australia later Saturday, the Zimbabwe win means the Canadian women are headed to the quarterfinals.
“Job done for Canada with the result,” said coach John Herdman. “It was crucial that we came out of these first two games with six points. It really put us in the driving seat going into that third game, around our (player) resting strategy.
“These tournaments are brutal with the (short) turnaround and the travel that catches up on players. So it puts us in a good situation to have a good go at Germany. There’s some history to be made there. And to give rest where it’s needed to players that have been putting big shifts in.”
Canada has an early flight Sunday for Brasilia where it will take on No. 2 Germany on Tuesday to wrap up Group F play. The Germans (1-0-1) needed an 88th-minute goal to tie Australia (0-1-1).
Going into the final day of pool play, Canada has six points, Germany four, Australia one and Zimbabwe (0-2-0) none. A win or tie against Germany, which has beaten Canada in all 12 of their meetings, and the Canadians will win Group F.
That may not be a good thing. According to the tournament draw, the winner plays the runner-up in Group G — likely third-ranked France after its 1-0 loss to the top-ranked Americans later Saturday — in the quarterfinals while the Group F runner-up faces the second-place team in Group E — likely No. 6 Sweden or No. 8 Brazil.
France is considered one of the tournament’s top contenders and beat Canada 1-0 just prior to the Games. And the French will be plenty motivated having lost the bronze medal to Canada four years ago in London. The top two teams in each of the three groups, plus the two best third-place teams advance.
Canada will give its best against Germany but expect Herdman to rest some key players in advance of the all-important knockout rounds.
Saturday’s match may have well been played in Harare given the heat and vocal support from the Corinthians Arena crowd of 30,295, which cheered every Zimbabwe pass and tackle. The Canadians did not object and paid tribute to the Africans’ resolve.
“All the credit to them, respect to them,” said midfielder Sophie Schmidt. “They came out and fought.”