CSA & Whitecaps FC
Canada's U-17 women's national team made a fine start at the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup following a 1-0 win over Ghana in Arima, Trinidad, on Monday.
Despite being out-shot 10-0 in the first half, Bryan Rosenfeld's side claimed three valuable points in Group D when Haisha Cantave converted a 54th-minute corner kick for the lone goal of the match. "I thought our players were very disciplined and organized throughout the match," Rosenfeld told CanadaSoccer.com. "We were under a lot of pressure at times from a Ghana side that put up a very good game. We need to do a better job of keeping the ball and passing."
Canada's starting XI included captain
Nicole Setterlund
, defender Vanessa Kovacs, and midfielder
Abigail Raymer
. All three are members of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-17/U-18 Prospects full-time program. Victoria, BC, native Ally Courtnall also started Monday's match.
The first half was mostly forgettable for the Canadians, with the shot differential due in large part to Ghana's willingness to shoot from distance, with few of the long-range efforts troubling Sabrina D'Angelo in the Canadian goal. The shots that did find the target were well handled by D'Angelo, who was excellent throughout the match.
The best chance of the first half fell to Ghana on a bizarre play in the 18th minute. South Korean referee Cha Sung Mi whistled D'Angelo for holding the ball for more than six seconds in the Canadian box - thus awarding Ghana a free kick 16 yards from goal. Ghana played the indirect kick across the top of the box, but Canada's defenders were alert to the danger and reacted quickly to charge down the shot.
Canada’s best chance of the first half came in the 25th minute, as Kylie Davis found space down the left to hit an excellent cross into the box, but Ghanaian goalkeeper Margaret Otoo stepped in to collect the cross just in front of the onrushing Kinley McNicoll.
At the break, Rosenfeld made a single halftime change, as he replaced Davis with Jade Kovacevic.
The young Canucks started the second half brightly and looked a completely different team than the one that had been outplayed in the first half.
From a Canada corner, Chantale Campbell whipped in the set-piece, which was flicked into the net at the near post by Cantave. The goal would have been exceptionally rewarding for Canada, as the coaching staff had worked on that particular corner routine all week in training. "It was good to see that we were able to execute off the corner," said Rosenfeld. "We do a lot of work with set-pieces, as everybody does at this level. We did well to maintain our discipline after the goal and we were able to keep the Ghana team from getting the equalizer."
Canada played their best soccer of the game for the opening 25 minutes of the second half before it settled into a defensive posture to kill off the match. Canadian fans' hearts were in their throats in the 80th minute, as a hard back pass from Setterlund squeaked under D'Angelo's foot before rolling harmlessly wide for a corner.
In the other Group D match on Monday, Brazil defeated Canada's next opponents Republic of Ireland 2-1. Rosenfeld's squad face the Irish in their next group encounter on Thursday afternoon at 1 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.
