CSA & Whitecaps FC
Canada's U-17 women's national team fell 1-0 to the Republic of Ireland in Group D action at the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad & Tobago.
Despite improving on its opening match performance against Ghana, Canada was unable to capitalize on their opportunities against Ireland. Siobhan Killeen scored her second goal of the tournament in the 76th minute to secure the win for the Irish. "Basically, we played an Irish team that wanted to win the game more than we did," Canadian head coach Bryan Rosenfeld told CanadaSoccer.com. "We didn’t play with any urgency until we were scored on, and at that time, we were chasing the game and it was just too late."
Rosenfeld's starting XI featured captain
Nicole Setterlund
and Vanessa Kovacs in his defensive backline, with the pair being members of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-17/U-18 Prospects full-time program.
The two sides exchanged periods of dominance in an evenly played opening half. Ireland opened the match on the front foot, attacking Canada from the opening whistle.
Canada gradually found their legs after a slow start and began to pass the ball better while maintaining possession. In the seventh minute, the young Canucks worked a crisp passing play up the field that resulted in a high cross aimed at Caroline Beaulne streaking in at the back post. Unfortunately for Canada, Grace Moloney in the Irish goal intercepted the cross before Beaulne could get a head to it.
Beaulne had the Canadian fans on their feet in the 20th minute as she danced down the left wing after controlling long pass with a deft touch. Her cut back pass found Haisha Cantave at the top of the box, but her low first time effort was easily saved by the Moloney.
Canada came close to creating a carbon copy of their goal against Ghana, as a Chantale Campbell corner found Cantave unmarked in the Irish box. This time, however, Moloney was well positioned to make the save. It was on a similar corner routine that Canada scored their goal in the opening match of the tournament.
Canada's Beaulne and Cantave were causing the Irish defence the headaches, with their willingness to run at defenders with the ball. In the 38th minute, Beaulne again weaved through defenders before unleashing a swerving shot that flew just wide of the Irish goal.
Cantave created one final first-half chance just before halftime, as she received a short free kick with her back to goal, turned her defender and fired a hard shot straight at Moloney.
At halftime, Rosenfeld made two substitutions, as Nour Ghoneim and Charlène Achille were replaced by Jade Kovacevic and Victoria, BC, native Ally Courtnall.
Similar to its match against Ghana, Canada came out strongly to start the second half. Cantave engineered the first Canadian chance of the half, as she broke in on goal, but chose to attempt a square pass to Kinley McNicoll when she was well positioned to strike. The Irish defence recovered to clear the danger.
With the score still knotted at 0-0, Canada was lucky to escape after a loose pass between Canadian defenders fell to Ireland’s Denise O’Sullivan alone in the Canadian box. O’Sullivan seemed surprised with the time and space she was in and her rushed shot flew straight into D’Angelo’s hands.
Rosenfeld made his final substitution of the match in the 71st minute, as McNicoll came off for Whitecaps FC Prospects midfielder
Abigail Raymer
.
Against the run of play and in slightly fortuitous circumstances, the Republic of Ireland took a 1-0 lead in the 76th minute. Canada’s Beaulne was called for a foul at the halfway line. The Irish hit the free kick long into the Canadian box and the resulting Canadian clearance hit the Japanese official. The ball rebounded back into the box, where it eventually landed at the feet of Killeen. The striker took a couple of touches to steady herself before firing an unstoppable shot past a helpless D’Angelo.
Canada had a glorious chance to score a late equalizer in the 85th minute. Courtnall tracked a loose ball in the Irish box, but her chip was bravely stopped by Moloney in the Irish goal.
With the defeat, Canada are now level on three points with their three other counterparts in Group D. Ghana beat Brazil 1-0 to move all four nations in the group to a record 1W-1L-0D. Canada conclude their Group D campaign when they take on Brazil on Monday at 4 p.m. PT.
Soccer fans can follow all of Canada's matches at Trinidad & Tobago 2010 on CBC's platform of networks. Canada's matches will be shown live on CBC Bold and streamed on cbcsports.ca. Each match will then be re-broadcast on the main CBC network at midnight local time.
