Sophie Schmidt’s 83rd minute goal was the difference as Canada beat Scotland 1-0 and clinched third place at the Torneio Internacional de Futebol Feminino in Brasilia, BRA.
Canada had been knocking on the door in the second half and finally found a way in when Schmidt made a near post run and got her head to a Diana Matheson corner kick.
After a relatively quiet first half where neither side had any notable chances at goal, each side had great scoring chances early in the second half that were denied by different reasons.
In the 54th minute, Jane Ross hit a curling, right-footed shot from well outside the Canadian penalty area. Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod looked to be beaten but the shot bounced off the top of the crossbar and out.
In the 68th minute, Canada was denied by a fantastic save by Scottish goalkeeper Gemma Fay. After a cross came in from the left side, Schmidt flicked the ball to the right side where Adriana Leon waited to strike the ball home. Leon got plenty of power being the ball but Fay dove across to get her hand to the ball.
Not long before the goal, Canada had come close but was missing the decisive touch to push the ball over the line. With just over 10 minutes remaining, Desiree Scott found Emily Zurrer in a crowded penalty area just a few yards away from goal but Zurrer couldn’t get much behind the shot and put it right at Fay.
The game sees Canada head into the holiday break on a high after failing to reach the final of the tournament. The team will next see action on 31 January when they take on the USA in Frisco, TX.
Canada had a starting XI with Erin McLeod in goal with Sura Yekka, Kadeisha Buchanan, Carmelina Moscato, and Marie-Eve Nault making up the back line. Desiree Scott, Diana Matheson, Jessie Fleming, Sophie Schmidt, Christine Sinclair, and Adriana Leon made up the midfield and attack.
At halftime, Head Coach John Herdman replaced Fleming with Kaylyn Kyle. Later in the half, Yekka was replaced by Rhian Wilkinson (59’), Moscato by Emily Zurrer (68’), and Leon by Brittany Baxter (77’).
Scotland had a starting XI with Gemma Fay in goal and Frankie Brown, Rachel Corsie, Jennifer Beattie, and Hayley Lauder making up the back line. Joanne Love, Leanne Crichton, Kim Little, Caroline Weir, Christine Murray, and Jane Ross made up the midfield and attack.
In the second half, Scotland replaced Weir Lana Clelland (63’), Lauder with Nicola Docherty (72’), Murray with Leanne Ross (77’), and love with Sarah Crilly (90+).
