Canada wins third straight match at 2011 Cyprus Women’s Soccer Cup

Canada won its third-straight match at the 2011 Cyprus Women’s Cup, this time a 2:0 victory over England in the final match of the group phase. Christine Sinclair and Brittany Timko both scored for Canada while goalkeeper Erin McLeod kept the clean sheet with the help of a strong defensive line.

"All our players sacrificed to win this match," said Canadian national head coach Carolina Morace. "They did exactly what we asked them to do just yesterday (before this match). It was the first time we played in this new way."

Coach Morace was impressed with her entire squad from the back to the front. Canada and England, both ranked amongst the top-10 nations in the world, have faced each other in each of the last three Cyprus Women’s Cup competitions. Unlike the previous two encounters, Canada this time held a tactical advantage because it needed a win or a draw to finish first in the group whereas England had to win the match to surpass Canada in the standings.

Over and beyond that statistical advantage, however, coach Morace explained that Canada was still an improved team from a year ago against England.

"This year, we are more confident," said Morace. "We believe more in ourselves that we can do it."

Both sides played well in the first half with the defence winning most of the battles. If there was half a chance, the opposing side would shut it down. England’s Anita Asante tried a shot in the 23rd minute, but fired high above the net. Canada’s Diana Matheson tried a shot of her own in the 30th minute, but that shot too was well above the target.

In the 33rd minute, a deft through ball by Matheson put Sinclair on the run, but three England defenders were there to close the space.

Finally, in the last minute of the first half, Canada found the back of the net after another pressing run by captain Sinclair. Coming up the left side, Sinclair forced the English defenders back on their heels. Just as she pushed her way onto goal and drew the defenders to her attack, she made a pass to Matheson on her right who unleashed a quick shot from the opposite top of the box.

Goalkeeper Karen Bardsley stopped Matheson’s shot, but could not hold on to the ball tight enough. Sinclair jumped on what turned out to be a pair of quick rebounds and a ball in the back of the net.

In the second half, it was the fresh legs of substitute Brittany Timko that gave the English defenders their early problems. Just a couple of minutes after her entry, Timko took advantage of combination play between Sinclair and Matheson. Timko was sent on the run and pressed her opponents for a Canadian corner kick.

Timko was at it again and again until she was finally given a gift of a pass from defender Candace Chapman in the 55th minute. Timko timed her run perfectly, caught the pass, and then without a moment of hesitation sailed a quick shot over Bardsley who was off her line by just a telling few metres. The ball went over Bardsley, under the crossbar, and into the goal for a 2-0 Canadian lead.

England did not give up its spirit and continued to attack with the hope of scoring a goal or three against the Canadians. Captain Faye White thought she had the first marker in the 76th minute with a header off the England corner kick, but a foul had already been called by the Lithuanian referee Ausra Kance.

For the last 21 minutes, the rain came down hard and then harder, but to no advantage of either side. England’s last chance came in the 89th minute off a cross and a header, but McLeod was there to make the save.

Canada’s starting XI featured Erin McLeod in goal, Melanie Booth, Candace Chapman, Emily Zurrer and Rhian Wilkinson at the back, and Desiree Scott, Sophie Schmidt, Diana Matheson, Carmelina Moscato, Chelsea Stewart and Christine Sinclair. Booth, Scott, Moscato and Stewart were all starting their first match of the competition.

In the second half, coach Morace replaced Stewart, Scott, Booth, Schmidt and Sinclair with Brittany Timko (46th minute), Robyn Gayle (65′), Marie-Eve Nault (66′), Kaylyn Kyle (83′) and Christina Julien (86′).

England’s starting XI featured Karen Bardsley in goal, Stephanie Houghton at left back, Faye White and Sophie Bradley at centre back, Dunia Susi at right back, and Alex Scott, Anita Asante, Fara Williams, Rachel Yankey, Kelly Smith and Ellen White from the midfield up through to the attack. Coach Morace said England played a 4-2-3-1 formation with dynamic players in the midfield who could interchange their positions throughout the match.

England’s XI featured just two repeat starters from three days earlier. One player was making her first start of the comptition while eight players were making their second start after a five-day break.

In the second half, England was forced to make one substitution. Bradley was hurt and replaced in the 66th minute by Casey Stoney.

Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and presenting sponsor is Teck, advances to the 2011 Cyprus Women’s Cup championship final. Canada will face Netherlands, the winner of Group B, on Wednesday 9 March.