Canadian women’s soccer players hold heads high

MARSEILLE, France – Janine Beckie was looking guardant to immoderate family time. Jessie Fleming said she conscionable needed a break. Vanessa Gilles, for illustration each members of nan squad, was afloat of pride.

With dejection etched connected their faces, members of nan Canadian women’s shot squad slow walked done nan question and reply area Saturday nighttime astatine a muggy Stade de Marseille aft an extended conflict pinch Germany.

The side’s unforgettable fortnight astatine nan Paris Games — which included a fewer highs and galore crushing lows — had travel to an extremity pinch a shootout nonaccomplishment successful nan quarterfinals.

“I deliberation it (has been) a really galvanizing experience,” Beckie said. “I’m person to these 21 players than immoderate teammates I’ve ever played with.”

A drone spying ungraded astir derailed nan squad successful nan group stage. Germany yet ended Canada’s bid to repetition arsenic Olympic champions pinch a 4-2 triumph connected punishment kicks aft neither squad scored successful regularisation aliases other time.

Lasting until nan 2nd play of nan Games was an awesome feat for a squad that dealt pinch seemingly changeless off-field developments. The distractions started a fewer days earlier nan opener and didn’t fto up until nan knockout stage.

Spence filled successful admirably for Bev Priestman, 1 of 3 coaching unit members fixed one-year suspensions by FIFA aft a squad expert was caught utilizing a drone astatine a New Zealand believe session.

The sport’s governing assemblage came down difficult connected nan eighth-ranked Canadians. There was nary proposal nan players had immoderate engagement but they were still docked six points successful nan standings.

The punishment was a gutpunch since it was for illustration wiping 2 wins from nan compact three-game group stage. Canada was put into early must-win mode and responded.

A stunning item came successful a melodramatic 2-1 comeback triumph complete second-ranked France erstwhile Gilles scored successful nan 12th infinitesimal of wounded time.

Next up was different must-win crippled against Colombia, which came soon an entreaty of nan constituent conclusion had been dismissed. That disappointment was put speech excessively arsenic nan Canadians improved to 3-0-0 pinch a 1-0 triumph that someway gave them 2nd spot successful Group A.

A listless commencement to nan Germany crippled was followed by a beardown 2nd half, acknowledgment successful portion to a activity of early substitutions. Canada controlled play and threatened again successful other clip but couldn’t afloat break nan fourth-ranked team’s backmost line.

Canada outshot Germany 23-11 and had a 5-1 separator successful shots connected target.

“To person gone this acold I deliberation is simply a testament to our group and to our mentality,” Gilles said. “Losing successful PKs is ever bittersweet. Obviously successful nan past Olympics we sewage nan amended extremity of that deal.”

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Julia Grosso provided nan aureate infinitesimal 3 years agone pinch her successful footwear from nan spot successful Tokyo. She could only watch this clip astir — on pinch Fleming, who missed nan 2nd half pinch a caput wounded — arsenic Canada was stopped connected 2 of its 4 kicks.

German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger delivered nan last rustle arsenic she slotted location nan victor past Kailen Sheridan.

“The crippled is nan crippled astatine times and that’s really it tin activity out,” Spence said.

The Canadian players went their abstracted ways connected Sunday. Some will return a well-earned break while others returned to their nine teams.

For Canada Soccer, which was fined nan balanced of C$313,000 by FIFA, nan dense lifting is conscionable beginning.

The federation is backing a afloat independent investigation. Chief executive serviceman Kevin Blue, who has been connected nan occupation a fewer months, said nan probe will look into what he called a imaginable “systemic ethical shortcoming.”

It’s nan first clip since nan 2008 Beijing Games that nan Canadian squad will not look connected nan Olympic podium.

“This acquisition will nary uncertainty make america stronger arsenic individuals and arsenic players,” Beckie said. “I deliberation successful nan midst of each of this, you’ve seen immoderate of Canada’s champion performances ever arsenic a team.”

This study by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2024.

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