Kailen Sheridan
“I’m angry, sad and tired, and it will take some time but we will come back stronger. We will recharge and come back ready to fight for Canada again.”
These are the phrases of Whitby’s Kailen Sheridan, the beginning ‘keeper on Canada’s Ladies’s Nationwide Staff, on her Instagram web page within the aftermath of a climatic Olympic match for a squad that was docked six factors for a drone spying scandal however nonetheless persevered to achieve the quarter-finals.
“Sometimes it’s hard to find the words. This is one of those times. The ones that find their way through, proud. Immensely proud of this team. My family. We were pushed to the edge of destruction and found a way to come out on top.”
It was on the eve of their opening match when the group came upon concerning the drone scandal, a intestine punch to the psyche of gamers who have been desperate to defend their gold medals from Tokyo and a narrative that performed out all through the remainder of the Olympic match.
The fallout from the scandal would value head coach Bev Priestman her place within the match – and in all probability her job and probably her profession – and price the group six factors within the standings, forcing them to run the desk simply to have any hope of advancing to the knockout spherical.
“We came together and we chose each other when the world tried to tear us apart. Grateful. Grateful for the opportunity to represent my country on the worlds stage. To wear the maple leaf and to again say I am an Olympian.”
Two days earlier than their opening match in Paris towards New Zealand, a aspect ranked 20 spots decrease than Canada within the FIFA rankings, Canadian technical coach Joseph Lombardi was caught flying a drone (in one of many tightest safety places on the planet) in an try and movie the New Zealand group’s closed-door follow.
The subsequent day Priestman voluntarily eliminated herself from her spot on the sidelines, leaving assistant Andy Spence to information the shell-shocked Canadians towards the Kiwis whereas accusations of dishonest stuffed the social media chat traces.
Canada held agency and gained 2-1.
The subsequent day the hammer got here down, with Priestman, Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander all receiving one-year teaching bans. The group was additionally assessed a six-point penalty, leaving the group with a minus-three rating and needing to beat host (and #2 ranked) France and #22 Colombia to actually have a likelihood of getting out of their group.
It was at this level when the assist from Canadians got here via, with followers questioning the equity of an enormous level deduction for a criminal offense that was out of the gamers’ management and former nationwide group midfielder Diana Matheson providing a little bit of inspiration for Staff Canada 2024: “Take six points from us? Fine, let’s go get nine.”
With questions of the character of the group swirling about within the ether and the resolve of the gamers about to be examined, Sheridan and her teammates set about to just do that, with the primary trial by hearth towards powerhouse France in a win-or-go-home state of affairs.
Late within the recreation with the rating knotted at ones, the Canadians saved their dream alive in dramatic vogue when Sheridan made a game-saving cease at one finish and centre-back Vanessa Gilles went the size of the pitch to attain the winner deep into stoppage time to provide the Canadians a 2-1 victory.
To today Gilles doesn’t perceive how the group discovered themselves of their predicament within the first place.
“We were in shock because on the first day, the RCMP met with us and made it clear that drones were illegal in France,” Gilles instructed Radio-Canada whereas nonetheless in Paris. “We banged our heads against the wall, so to speak, wondering what our coaches were going to watch of the New Zealand training. To this day, we still don’t understand.”
Teammate Gabrielle Carle, throughout the identical French-language interview, echoed Gilles’ sentiments.
“We sat there in shock, the silence suffocating, in tears, with a broken heart,” she mentioned. “In a stadium full of French fans singing loud and clear the Marseillaise, last in the ranking with minus-3 points, we led the battle of our lives, and we reanimated our Olympic dream.”
“From a shameful scenario was born a story of resilience and unity,” Carle added. “It’s frustrating to know that our coaches didn’t think we could win with integrity.”
When requested by the media after the match towards France whether or not she may ever settle for an apology from Priestman, Sheridan, who plies her commerce with the San Diego Wave of the NWSL, mentioned she wasn’t certain.
“Right now, it’s a really tough thing to do. Ultimately, she’s a human being, and people make mistakes. I think later down the road we’ll be in a place where we can accept that.”
“But right now, we’re staying in our bubble. We’re not allowing anything in. I think it’s really important. It’s proving to work so far. We’re going to ride it as long as we can, and we’re going to prove some people wrong.”
Three days later they confronted Colombia and gained that recreation too, on extra heroics from Gilles, to complete second within the group (behind France), regardless of the six-point penalty.
That arrange a quarter-final date with #4 Germany and regardless of a disorganized opening half, the Canadians dominated the second half however couldn’t discover a approach via the German defence and ‘keeper Merle Frohms.
In the long run, Canada would lose on penalties with Frohms herself scoring the decisive penalty kick to ship Germany to the semi-finals.
The usA. would go on to win the gold medal match, 1-0 over Brazil.
The ache nonetheless lingers for Sheridan.
“Heartbroken. To have overcome so much and miss out by a centimeter. To feel something within reach and to have it slip away all within the same breath,” she mentioned in her put up. “And yet I’m optimistic. Ready to continue to push the landscape of women’s soccer in North America. Ready to continue to learn about myself, ready to put priority on the things important to me and ready to spend time with my family who have always been by my side.”
“Thank you to everyone who supported us and who chose the players of the CWNT. We saw you and we appreciate you.”
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