Canada Falls to Japan at Women’s Olympic Tournament

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The London 2012 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament has kicked off across the United Kingdom, with the first of three group matches played on Wednesday 25 July. Canada was in third place in Group F after the opening day, with upcoming matches to be played on 28 July against South Africa and 31 July against Sweden.

Canada lost 2-1 to FIFA Women’s World Cup champions Japan while Sweden won 3-0 over South Africa. From 12 international teams, the top two teams from all three groups plus the two best third-place teams will qualify for the quarter-final phase.

“You look at every one of our players tonight, there wasn’t one ounce of ‘Canadian’ left out there,” said head coach John Herdman. “They matched the world champions for periods – both defensively and in moments of attack.”

Japan scored twice before Canada replied in the second half on a Melissa Tancredi goal. Both Diana Matheson and Rhian Wilkinson were involved in the offensive push that led to the goal.

In the opening 20 minutes of the match, Canada contained the defending World Cup champions but Japan eventually broke down the Canadians and opened the scoring with a beautiful goal.

In the 33rd minute, FIFA World Player of the Year Homare Sawa lofted a perfect chip into Shinobu Ohno. Ohno waited on the right side before knocking a tricky back-heel into the path of Nahomi Kawasumi and her tight-angle shot beat the onrushing Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod.

Japan capitalized on some miscommunication in the 44th minute as McLeod came out to claim a ball but was unlucky to collide with one of her defenders and Aya Miyama headed the ball in.

In the second half, Yuki Ogimi could have given Japan a third in the 51st minute. Ogimi had a wide open net but defender Lauren Sesselmann scrambled back to clear the shot off the line.

Just four minutes later defender Rhian Wilkinson led an attack up the right side for Canada. Tancredi timed her run well and held off a Japanese defender and got her right foot to Wilkinson’s cross and steered the ball home with her right foot.

Canada had to play the final five minutes a player short as Candace Chapman had to be helped off the field with an obvious injury. As they had already used their three allotted substitutes, Canada couldn’t bring on another player.

Canada had a starting XI of Erin McLeod in goal with Rhian Wilkinson, Candace Chapman, Carmelina Moscato and Lauren Sesselmann on defence. Desiree Scott, Sophie Schmidt, Diana Matheson, Kaylyn Kyle, Melissa Tancredi and Christine Sinclair made up the midfield through the attack.

In the second half, Canadian head coach John Herdman replaced Sesselmann with Chelsea Stewart (70), Wilkinson with Robyn Gayle (71’) and Kyle with Kelly Parker (76’).

Japan went with Miho Fukumoto in goal with Yukari Kinga, Azusa Iwashimizu, Saki Kumagai, and Aya Sameshima on defence. Mizuho Sakaguchi, Aya Miyama, Nahomi Kawasumi, Homare Sawa, Shinobu Ohno and Yuki Ogimi made up the midfield and attack.

In the second half, Japanese head coach Norio Sasaki replaced Ohno with Kozue Ando (65’).