(Marseille) Janine Beckie was looking forward to spending time with her family. Jessie Fleming said she needed a break. Vanessa Gilles, like all the members of the group, was filled with pride.
Despite the apparent sadness on their faces, the players of the Canadian women’s soccer team filed into the interview area after their long battle against Germany on Saturday night in Marseille.
The team’s unforgettable fortnight at the Paris Olympics, filled with ups and downs, had just ended with a penalty shootout defeat in the quarter-finals.
“I think it’s been a really exciting experience,” Beckie said. “I’m closer to these 21 players than any teammate I’ve ever played with.”
PHOTO JULIO CORTEZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Janine Beckie managed to score in the penalty shootout.
A drone spying scandal nearly derailed the team in the preliminary round. Germany ultimately ended Canada’s hopes of retaining its Olympic title with a 4-2 shootout victory after a scoreless game and overtime.
Making it to the second weekend of the Games was an accomplishment in itself for a team that faced obstacles off the field. The distractions began just days before the opening game and continued through the playoffs.
“Ultimately, those moments can either elevate you or break you,” interim coach Andy Spence said. “I think with this team, it’s absolutely going to elevate them.”
PHOTO LUISA GONZALEZ, REUTERS
Interim head coach Andy Spence
Spence has filled in admirably for Bev Priestman, one of three members of the coaching staff banned for a year by FIFA after a team analyst was caught using a drone to capture footage of a New Zealand training session.
FIFA has severely punished the women’s team, ranked eighth in the world. There was no suggestion that the players were involved, but they were penalized six points in the rankings.
The penalty was harsh, as it represented two wins in the group stage, in which all teams played three games. Canada had no margin for error, and the team responded.
A dazzling highlight came in the 2-1 win over France, when Gilles scored in the 12th minute.e minute of time added.
Then there was another must-win game against Colombia, which came shortly after Canada’s appeal of the sanction was rejected. The Canadians defied that decision, improving to 3-0 with a 1-0 victory that gave them second place in Group A.
A slow start for Canada against Germany was followed by a strong second half, thanks in part to a flurry of early substitutions. Canada controlled the game and threatened again in overtime, but was unable to break through the German defence.
Canada led 23-11 in shots taken and 5-1 in shots on target.
“To have gotten this far, I think, is a testament to our group and our mentality,” Gilles said.
Losing on penalties is always bittersweet. Obviously, in the last Olympics we got the better result.
Vanessa Gilles
PHOTO JULIO CORTEZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Vanessa Gilles
Three years ago in Tokyo, Julia Grosso scored the deciding goal from the penalty spot. This time, she could only watch — as could Fleming, who missed the second half with a head injury — as two of Canada’s four shots were blocked.
German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger delivered the final blow, scoring the winner past Kailen Sheridan.
“It’s sport, it can happen like that sometimes,” Spence said.
The Canadians split up on Sunday. Some will take a well-deserved break, while others will return to their respective clubs.
For Canada Soccer, which was fined C$313,000 by FIFA, the work has only just begun.
The federation supports a full independent investigation. Kevin Blue, Canada Soccer’s new general secretary and CEO, said the investigation would look into what he called a potential “systemic ethical failure.”
This is the first time since the Beijing Games in 2008 that the Canadian team has not climbed onto the Olympic podium.
“This experience will definitely make us stronger as individuals and as players,” Beckie said. “I think in the midst of all that, you’ve seen some of Canada’s best performances as a team.”