The Reds found their colors at the right time. The Canadians won 2-0 against Jamaica on Friday evening in Kingston, after the first of two matches against the Reggae Girlz. This crucial round-trip series will qualify the winner for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.
The last World Cup was disappointing for the Canadian team. Elimination in the group stage last July was a result well below expectations for a nation that won gold at the Tokyo Games two years earlier.
Nearly two months later, Bev Priestman’s squad needed to boost their confidence. And she can say mission accomplished.
At the 18e minute, Nichelle Prince confirmed the good performance of the Canadians in this match. She headed home an excellent cross from Ashley Lawrence from the right.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SOCCER CANADA
At the 18e minute, Nichelle Prince confirmed the good performance of the Canadians in this match. She headed home an excellent cross from Ashley Lawrence from the right.
It is also on this flank that Canada shone best. The brilliance of Adriana Leon and Lawrence was a real spark in this meeting. The latter had a series of races and strikes, each more dangerous than the other.
Finally, at 93e minute, Leon got his reward. His goal, a lob above the goalkeeper hit in the area, also allowed him to gain a significant advantage in this series of two matches, under the rule of foreign goals.
Beyond qualification
Unlike the Canadians, the Jamaicans had performed very well at the World Cup, in Australia and in New Zealand. They lost in the round of 16 against Colombia (1-0) after having held Brazil (0-0) and France in check (0-0), in particular. With this resurgence, the Reggae Girlz no longer showed the same face as in the past; the Reds had a record of 9 wins in 9 games, and a goal differential of +59, before Friday’s meeting.
The Canadians had to take this match seriously, therefore. Because the stakes are high: qualifying for the Olympics makes it possible to obtain funding from Own the Podium, even though we know to what extent Canada Soccer is in difficulty in this regard.
The first half of the work is done. Canada now faces Jamaica again next Tuesday in a sold-out match at BMO Field in Toronto.