(Marseille) A leadership-by-committee approach worked wonders for the Canadian women’s soccer team, which defied the odds at the Paris Olympics.
The hammer blow of a six-point deduction in the standings would have been a death sentence for many teams, but Canada rose to the challenge with flying colors and secured a spot in the quarterfinals against Germany on Saturday in Marseille.
“We have the ability to bounce back and prove a lot of people wrong,” goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan said after a practice session at Stade Roger Couderc on Friday. “We want to make sure we don’t end this tournament with any regrets.”
The pre-tournament drone spying scandal has been in the headlines for more than a week.
In addition to the points deduction, FIFA imposed a heavy fine on the Canadian federation and suspended three coaches for one year. There is no indication, however, that the players were involved in the affair.
After all that drama, a 1-0 win over Colombia on Wednesday gave eighth-ranked Canada (3-0-0) the three points it needed to advance to the quarter-finals.
“We know from the last Olympics that anything is possible,” said midfielder Julia Grosso, who scored the decisive goal three years ago in Tokyo. “I think we are capable of defending our title.”
Several veterans and even some young players have stepped up to provide leadership to the team in this controversy.
Vanessa Gilles, who scored the winning goals in the last two games, made her voice heard. Jessie Fleming, who succeeded the legendary Christine Sinclair as captain, helped anchor the team.
PHOTO JULIO CORTEZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Vanessa Gilles during the match between Canada and Colombia on July 31
And it was Sheridan who gave the pre-match speech last Sunday before the win against France.
“All 22 girls rose to the occasion,” she said.
Canada opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over New Zealand and beat France by the same score thanks to a goal from Gilles in the 12th minute.e minute of added time.
The results put Canada in control of its own destiny ahead of its final group game, a 1-0 win over Colombia on Wednesday.
“We are really united. We know the quality of our team,” said Quebec forward Évelyne Viens.
PHOTO ARNAUD FINISTRE, ARCHIVES AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Evelyne Viens
Interim coach Andy Spence has noticed traits in Gilles and other players that have helped galvanize the group. “Vanessa is taking on a leadership role,” he said.
Sinclair was the team’s North Star during his long tenure as captain. Today, Fleming leads the team with help from veterans like Gilles, Sheridan, Ashley Lawrence, Kadeshia Buchanan, Janine Beckie and others.
“I think there’s a real team effort on and off the pitch, which is great. It’s really nice to see that development,” Spence said.