Vanessa Gillies celebrates after scoring the dramatic profitable objective over France to make sure Canada stays alive within the Olympic soccer event. Photograph Canada Soccer
“We’re not cheaters. We’re damn good players. We’re a damn good team. We have a damn good group and we proved that today.”
So mentioned Canadian soccer hero Vanessa Gillies (Chateauguay, QC) in a post-game interview after scoring within the 112th minute to provide the defending Olympic gold medalists a dramatic 2-1 victory over host France in a match that was a must-win for Canada.
Canada moved to 2-0 in Group A however have to win out after FIFA slapped the workforce with a six-point penalty within the wake of the drone scandal that has rocked all the nationwide soccer group.
The messages of help for the Canadian girls, who’ve been underneath intense scrutiny earlier than the gamers even took the sphere in these Video games, got here swiftly after Sunday’s pressure-packed win over world #2 France:
“Don’t tell these girls they can’t…..” – Lori
“That is an incredible victory for the Canadian women soccer team. These players, damn…” – Richard
“Another comeback victory. In the midst of the drone scandal. FIFA 6-point deduction. The Canadians have not quit.” – Devin
“Woohoo!!! I’m not crying, you’re crying. We are all behind you ladies!” – Jen
Assistant coach Andy Spence has been guiding the workforce since head coach Bev Priestman was despatched dwelling and banned from soccer for a yr within the fallout from ‘dronegate’ after a training analyst was caught utilizing a drone to spy on New Zealand practices earlier than the opening match, gained by Canada.
FIFA docked Canada six factors within the aftermath, which means Les Rouges must upset France and end with a win over Colombia to have any probability of advancing to the quarter-finals.
So it wasn’t wanting good when Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored within the forty second minute with a low ball simply contained in the submit by Whitby’s Kailen Sheridan to place France up 1-0.
The second half was a unique story because the Canadians – with completely nothing to lose – pressed ahead and had been rewarded with the tying objective within the 58th minute when Caledon’s Ashley Lawrence despatched in a cross in that French ‘keeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin spilled out to Canadian captain Jessie Fleming (London) for the tap-in.
Peyraud-Magnin was hit within the face by a sliding defender on the play and needed to be stretchered off, to get replaced by Constance Picaud.
Whitby’s Kailen Sheridan
Needing one other objective to remain alive, Canada elevated the urgency and had been rewarded practically on the demise, although it took a monster cease by Sheridan 9 minutes into added time on Grace Geyoro to maintain the dream alive, with the PSG midfielder wanting skyward for divine intervention after the Canadian ‘keeper’s big save.
Three minutes later Gillies – who performs for French aspect Lyon and was eligible to symbolize France by way of her father – earned her hero standing to quiet the house crowd after one other spill (this time from Picaud) allowed her to gather a rebound from a Jordan Huitema (Chilliwack, BC) strike and calmly place the profitable objective off the submit and in.
Canada then needed to survive one other three minutes or so (after the 13 introduced further minutes) earlier than the whistle lastly sounded.
Columbia, who beat New Zealand 2-0 Sunday, now could be the one workforce standing in the way in which of Canada reaching the knockout rounds, regardless of the historic six-point penalty.
The Canada – Colombia match goes Wednesday.
Bronze medalists in each London in 2012 and Rio in 2016, Canada gained gold in Tokyo in 2021.
Caledon’s Ashley Lawrence hunts for ball in opposition to France Sunday
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