The Canadian women’s team is through to the semifinals of the Concacaf W Gold Cup with a perfect record and without being seriously tested. Whether that’s a good thing or whether it will come back to haunt them remains to be seen.
Canada booked its place in the final four after posting a 1-0 extra-time win over Costa Rica in Saturday’s quarter-final in Los Angeles, the team’s fourth consecutive shutout victory at the continental competition.
It was the second time in four days the Canadians and Costa Ricans met, the result of a quirky competition format that re-seeded the eight remaining quarter-finalists, rather than paring them off in a normal bracket for the knockout round.
Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was a spectator all game before being called into action in second-half injury when she made a highlight-reel toe save on Alexa Herrera from close range to rob the Costa Rican midfielder of a sure goal. After Sheridan saved Canada’s blushes, teammate Evelyne Viens emerged as the goal-scoring hero when she nodded home a gorgeous chipped free kick into the 18-yard-box by captain Jessie Fleming in the 104th minute to finally put away the Central Americans.
Don’t let the final score fool you. This was not a close game. The fact that it went to extra time had more to do with Canada’s lack of finishing in front of goal, rather than anything special that Costa Rica did on the night. Daniela Solera made two solid saves in the first half, but she also was let off the hook far too many times by Canada’s crop of attackers (including tournament top scorer Adriana Leon) who collectively misfired or failed to convert quality chances while having strong looks on goal or when they had the Costa Rican goalkeeper at their mercy.
How dominant was Canada? The statistics tell the true tale. Sixty-five per cent possession. A 39-5 edge in total shots (10-1 in shots on target) and a 13-1 lead in corner kicks. Canada strung together a whopping 640 passes. The Canadians were positively relentless going forward, attacking in waves in a match that was one-way traffic and only saw the Olympic champions lose their rhythm due to the persistent stalling tactics of their opponents.
Canada looked every bit like the 10th-ranked nation in the current FIFA world rankings against No. 43 Costa Rica, as it bossed around Las Ticas and kept them pinned deep inside their half for long stretches. Even when the Central Americans came out of their defensive block to press the Canadians in a vain attempt to win back possession, Bev Priestman’s side held its nerve and comfortably played through the pressure.
So, make it four wins from four games at this Gold Cup for Canada, who have scored a tournament-high 14 goals and have yet to be scored upon. Under normal circumstances, this would be cause for celebration. Instead, a sense of uneasiness engulfs this team.
It has to be said that Canada has yet to be even remotely challenged at this tournament. A 6-0 win over No. 104 El Salvador in their group stage opener was followed up by 4-0 decision over No. 50 Paraguay that was a walk in the park. Canada’s group stage finale, a 3-0 win over Costa Rica, saw the Olympic champions shift into cruise control.
Canada put up staggering possession numbers in the round-robin portion of the Gold Cup, averaging 73 per cent, and only gave up five shots on target. None of the Canadians' opponents put them under any kind of danger.
It was a trend that continued on Saturday as Canada ran its all-time record against Costa Rica to a perfect 17-0 dating back to their first meeting in 1991. The Canadians have outscored the Costa Ricans 52-6 along the way and the Central Americans have never scored more than one goal in those 17 matches.
Canada has been professional with its performances at this Gold Cup. But the folks at Concacaf did the Canadians no favours by drawing them into such an easy group because it’s going to get much tougher for Priestman’s side from here on out.
The Olympic champions are the only top-rated team at this tournament that has yet to play a nation ranked in the world’s top 35. That will change in next week’s quarter-final in San Diego where they’ll square off against either the second-ranked United States or No. 23 Colombia, two teams that bear no resemblance to the trio of cannon fodder nations that Canada has faced thus far.
Colombia has lost its two previous meetings against Canada, but both defeats came more than a decade ago. Since then, the South Americans’ stature in the women’s game has grown by leaps and bounds, as evidenced by their run to the quarter-finals of last summer’s FIFA World Cup.
As for the Americans, they’ve owned the Canadians and lead the all-time series with 52 wins and seven draws in 63 games. Prior to its upset win in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics, Canada had not defeated the U.S. since 2001 and its previous victory over its southern neighbours on American soil was in 2000.
If the Canadians advance to the Gold Cup final on March 10, a showdown against No. 11 Brazil or No. 35 Mexico likely awaits them. Brazil recently defeated Canada in Montreal, while the Mexicans shocked the U.S. 2-0 in the group stage of this tournament.
Canada could only beat the nations that were put before them and they took care of business. But it means that we really don’t know how good this Canadian squad is or where it truly ranks at this Gold Cup, having only played minnow nations that are nowhere near in their class.
“I think it was a red flag coming into [the Gold Cup] was that part of it. You don’t overly get tested… That’s where I’ve really pushed the standards, in training, off the pitch and in every game to hold ourselves high [against the] lower ranked nations,” Priestman said after Saturday’s game
“We have to rise up very quickly.”
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