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Posted by
Steve Bottjer,
July 25, 2012 |
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Email Steve Bottjer
Twitter @BottjerRNO |
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Japan 2 Canada 1
The Prelude to Battle
In a similar fashion to the manner in which Canada kicked off at the last World Cup, Canada did not get an opportunity to ease into their tournament at the London 2012 Olympics on Wednesday. Their first opponent was none other than the defending World Cup Champions, Japan. With the Canadian players confident that they have what it takes to be medal contenders this time around, a Japanese side that was fast, technically strong, supremely fit and very sure in terms in finishing was going to present Canada with a very immediate test to gauge just how far they have come since John Herdman has taken over at Head Coach.
The Opening Forty-Five
Canada came out strong in this match and looked like the better team in the early going, as they pressed with authority and looked quick and mobile.
However, as confident as Canada looked in the first thirty minutes of the game, neither side actually generated much in the way of significant scoring chances.
That changed in the 33rd minute when Japan opened the scoring with some fine passing that ended with a Shinobu Ohno back heel setting up Nahomi Kawasumi for a marvelous finish.
That goal seemed to buoy the Japanese, as they started to dominate possession from that point on.
Japan added a second goal just before the half-time break when Canadian keeper Erin McLeod made a poor decision to come out of her net to clear and cross, but was unable to get a hand on the ball, Aya Miyama headed the ball into the back of the net.
The Second Half
Japan almost made it 3-0 when Yuki Ogimi had an open net, but Canadian defender Lauren Sesselmann made a fantastic defensive play to clear the shot off the line.
That close goal seemed to galvanize the Canadians, who scored four minutes later when defender Rhian Wilkinson broke down the right side and delivered a perfect cross that Melissa Tancredi redirected into the Japanese net after beating her defender to the ball.
Unfortunately for the Canadian team, their comeback was held back when they had to play the final five minutes plus injury time a player short, as Candace Chapman had to be helped off the field with an obvious injury. Canada had already used their three allotted substitutes and could not bring on another player.
The Final Word: The pressure is now on for Canada in their next two matches
Japan was always going to present a tough tournament opening match for Canada and many pundits speculated that a achieving a draw against the reigning World Cup Champions would have been a very good result for the Canadians. They fell short of that result and now the pressure is clearly on the team for their next two matches. With Japan and 4th ranked Sweden in their group, Canada will likely need to earn three points against both the South Africa and the Swedes in order to guarantee themselves a spot in the knockout round.
While the end result in this one was a defeat, there are several positives that John Herdman and his squad can take into their next two games. Firstly, this match could have easily ended up in the draw that many speculated would have been a very encouraging result against a high quality opponent. While the first goal that Japan scored was an example of top class execution, the second was really the result of a mistake by Canadian keeper Erin McLeod. If she had not come out of her net or had managed to punch the ball away on the play, the match would have ended 1-1. Canada must avoid these types of mistakes when playing quality opposition. While it may be harsh to suggest it, Herdman should probably go with keeper Karina Le Blanc in Canada’s next two matches, provided she is 100% fit.
Secondly, as expected, Japan was very focused on shutting down Christine Sinclair. Every time the Canadian superstar went anywhere near the ball, she was immediately closed down by at least three Japanese defenders. The fact that Canada came so close to achieving a result in a match in which their best player was basically a non-factor is something of a positive. Add in the fact that Melissa Tancredi rose to the occasion and scored a goal and a seed has been planted that Canada can compete against a top team when the player who is their focal point has been essentially marked out of the game.
Lastly, when Japan went up 2-0 this match started to have a similar feel to Canada’s disastrous 4-0 defeat to France at the last World Cup in Germany. While it required a heroic clearance off the line by Lauren Sesselmann to prevent third goal by Japan, it was nonetheless encouraging to watch the manner in which Canada came back and made a game of this one right until the final whistle.
Going forward Canada will need to avoid goal allowing mistakes while at the same time seeing players like Tancredi lessening the burden on Sinclair to score the goals. That said, Herdman must also find some way to create some more space and opportunity for Sinclair. She is not only Canada’s best player, she is also an inspirational leader who energizes and bolsters the confidence of her teammates.
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