Tune into the United States women’s national soccer team Olympic qualifying match against Trinidad tonight.
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With Canada back in the women’s soccer competition for the Rio Olympics, veteran defender Lauren Sesselmann is hoping to make a return to the national team after a 2015 that left her with a bad taste in her mouth.
Sinclair ranks second on the global career list for most goals, behind Abby Wambach’s 184. They will have to wait until Sunday’s final against the United States to see if they can add an exclamation mark, but its safe to say Canada are looking strong heading into the Rio Olympics.
With two teams going to the Games from North and Central America and the Caribbean, Friday’s contest was the one that mattered for Canada. We were one of the best defensive teams in the tournament. Canada will face the U.S.in the championship final on Sunday. After making three appearances as a winger in the knockout round of the World Cup, she was an unused substitute for the Americans’ first two group stage games of the Olympic qualifying tournament.
Canadian veterans will have not forgotten their 4-3 extra-time loss to the Americans in the Olympic semifinal four years ago.
Some of the players have never played the Americans at the youth level, never mind carrying years of negative results that could affect their mentality.
“It’s what these girls were really looking forward to, coming here… we’re going to give them one hell of a fight as we always do and (we’re) looking forward to it”, he said. “They don’t have that baggage”.
“I think we have a fantastic group of new young players and so do they and rivalries are changing”.
There are many similarities between the two squads with the Americans also bringing in the next generation with the expectation to perform.
Tobin Heath opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing a nice sequence started by left back Meghan Klingenberg.
However, the Canadians were able to put the final nail in the coffin thanks to 16-year-old Rose in the 86th minute. She was limping noticeably and was taken out of the game by head coach John Herdman in the 2nd half. “I think it’s incredible, and I’m happy to be a part of it”. It will be the typical players that have led them to World Cups.
Canada earned its third straight trip to the Olympic Games with Friday night’s 3-1 victory over Costa Rica.
Players who have gotten some time in this tournament and deserve to get more are Kelley O’Hara, Christen Press, and Crystal Dunn.
USA coach Jill Ellis agreed.
“When we put all the emotion in there, we have to play smart against these teams”.
Anything other than a US victory on Friday would be a huge upset, but it seems highly unlikely given the quality Ellis’ side have shown of late. “The last couple months are the best I’ve felt in a very long time and I’ve been scrimmaging three times a week and training six times a week”.
With an automatic Olympic qualifying berth already in place, Canada will move on to the finals, where it will play the victor of the United States vs. Trinidad & Tobago semifinal.
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The closest Canada has come to beating the Americans (other than the semifinal game at London 2012) was in May of 2014 when Kadeisha Buchanan scored her first career global goal.
