VANCOUVER, B.C - The biggest rivalry in women's soccer added another chapter in Frisco, Texas on Friday night. The United States prevailed over Canada with a 1-0 scoreline in front of a crowd of 20,862 at Toyota Stadium. Both teams struggled to find a goal until Canadian-born Sydney Leroux broke the deadlock with the lone marker in the 79' minute. After committing to an excellent defensive performance throughout the match, the visitors could not find a tying goal in the final ten minutes. This win moved the United States to an overall record of 47-3-5 against Canada.
During a conference call this week John Herdman had preached that his team would bring a lot more passion against team USA that wasn't there in their last North American match vs Mexico on November 24. True to his word Canada was exceptionally physical, composed, and full of passion. The centre-back duo of Kadeisha Buchanan, and Lauren Sesselmann were all over the pitch and had Abby Wambach frustrated, and flopping. Team USA had to adjust their gameplan in the second half to use the flanks more because Canada had the centre of the pitch locked down.
Match Highlights: Canada WNT 0-1 USA
Being able to play a physical game can also come at a cost if a player is still learning to read the play and decide when to go for a tackle. Buchanan could have easily seen red after completely missing the ball and sending Morgan Brian flying in the 33' minute. El Salvadorian referee Mirian Leon should have sent the 18 year-old off to an early ice bath.
Moments later, Sesselmann made a breakaway saving tackle on Wambach in the 38' minute. The Western New York Flash player looked to have nicked the ball off Sesselmann as she was nearly the last player between the ball and Erin McLeod. The home side was engaged in a few choice words as Canada wasn't afraid to play an intense style of football.
Hope Solo and Erin McLeod were not tested often enough in the opening forty-five. Most attempts on target were right at McLeod and Solo wasn't busy at all. Canada had a terrific chance to score in the 40', thanks to Diana Matheson. Christine Sinclair laid a lovely flick up to Josee Belanger who found a streaking Matheson. The Washington Spirit midfielder tried to score inside the far back post and Solo came out of her net. The ball rolled just wide of the target to cheers from the home crowd.
Each team looked rusty in the opening half which featured sloppy play and more turnovers than your local Tim Horton’s. The physical play set the tone that showed that Canada didn't come down to Texas to get pushed around. Fouls committed easily favoured Canada 16-3 by the end of the match. While their defensive front was quite strong, a squandered offensive opportunity would come back to bite Canada.
Neither team made any changes to begin the second half and the play for both squads picked up.
Erin McLeod Post-Match Comments:
Canada just didn't have that final finish at the other end of the pitch that all top football teams need. Christine Sinclair and Adriana Leon looked good when they were involved in the match. However the problem was that they weren't able to get consistent service to mount successive offensive threats.
The back four for the United States, (Ali Krieger, Becky Sauerbrunn, Whitney Engen, Stephanie Cox) did not have to do much to protect Hope Solo as she picked up her 68th clean sheet for her country. In fact, it was on offense that they showed great strength. Engen had a blatant offside goal called back in the first half, and Sauerbrunn was instrumental in Leroux scoring her goal after she read her instincts beautifully and went up the pitch.
Earning her 50th cap for Team USA, the FC Kansas City player delivered a cross into the box that caused Canada quite a bit of commotion for 16 year-old Sura Yekka. The Mississauga, Ontario native left Sydney Leroux wide open and unmarked in the box after a failed clearing attempt. Leroux had an easy tap in and Yekka was left with a learning lesson that you would expect to see from a teenager playing against the no.1 ranked team in women's football.
Overall Canada did a lot better than most pundits predicted. They showed that they're a lot better than the team that lost 3-0 to the United States on June 2 in Toronto. Perhaps the return of Melissa Tancredi later this year will be a much-needed boost for a struggling Canadian offense.
On the other side of the pitch the Americans were not the well-oiled machine that have so often destroyed every and all competition in their path. The USA have not been in a residency for as long as Canada has been this winter. They were also missing key players in the midfield and upfront. Carli Lloyd was suspended for this match, Alex Morgan, and Tobin Heath are nursing serious injuries and Kelly O'Hara and Amy LePeilbet are close but not fully match fit.
Russia will be the next opponent for the Americans on February 8 and 12 in both Boca Raton, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia respectively. Canada will announce three international friendless next week in Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver and you can guarantee that one of those matches will be against their rivals from the United States.
John Herdman Post-Match Comments:
LINEUPS:
USA Starting XI: Hope Solo; Ali Krieger, Becky Sauerbrunn, Whitney Engen (Christie Rampone, 77), Stephanie Cox; Heather O’Reilly, Morgan Brian, Lauren Holiday, Megan Rapinoe (Amy Rodriguez, 88); Sydney Leroux, Abby Wambach (C) (Christen Press, 74) (4-4-2)
Canada Starting XI: Erin McLeod; Rhian Wilkinson (Sura Yekka, 74), Kadeisha Buchanan, Lauren Sesselmann, Marie-Éve Nault (Carmelina Moscato, 81); Diana Matheson (Jonelle Filigno, 86), Desiree Scott, Sophie Schmidt; Josée Bélanger (Brittany Baxter, 71), Christine Sinclair (C), Adriana Leon (Kaylyn Kyle, 61) (4-4-2)
Notes: Becky Sauerbrunn was named Women of the Match.
Post-Match Reaction
Canadian National Team Head Coach John Herdman had both positive and measured negative comments after the match.
“You’re disappointed,” Herdaman said. “I’m not going to take too much solace in this game. At some point you’ve got to beat this team. The girls know they’ve put a good shift in tonight. We had our chances and I think we have to take them. They’ve worked very hard and they’ve kept it out of the net at one end and they’ve put the body on the line for 90 plus minutes and when those chances come you’ve got to take them.”
“We’re disappointed because we’re sick of saying ‘good try,’ ‘well done,’ and ‘we battled hard.’,” Herdman added. “At some point we’ve got to beat this team and if it’s not now, then when and hopefully it’s in 2015.”
Herdman did admit that his side gained strength in the second half and that overall there were many positives that Canada could take away from the game.
“To be fair, thought that second half they really took it to the Americans,” Herdman said. “In the first half we battled well and we were a little bit overawed but in the second half we started to pass the ball and we got the combinations it looked very promising.”
“There were some great performances from 18-year-old Kadeisha Buchanan. I mean that was a great performance from that girl,” Herdman added. “We’ve got a bright future now that we’re aligning the system so 2015, I think if you look at that as a year out from a World Cup, there’s not much in it between those two teams. And when you think Melissa Tancredi and Kara Lang are to come back, that squad is strengthened.”
“The future is bright and I just can’t wait for the rematch.”
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