Canada Defeats England 4:0

Montreal, Quebec – Canada’s Women’s World Cup Team defeated England 4-0 in an international friendly at the Catalogna Soccerplexe in Lachine, Quebec, Monday in front of a sell-out crowd of 2125. The second game of the series will be played on Thursday, May 22 at Frank Clair Stadium.



The last time the two teams met was at the 1995 Women’s World Cup in Sweden and the English came away with a 3-2 win. Andrea Neil and Charmaine Hooper both played in that game. It was Neil who opened the scoring in the 20th minute when her right footed cross/shot drifted over the top of England goalkeeper Rachel Brown.



Neil doubled the score in the 36th minute when she headed home a Kristina Kiss cross. The goal was originally credited to Kara Lang but was changed after the game. Lang then converted a great cross from Candace Chapman in the 66th minute with a fierce near post strike. She earned her second when she dribbled into the box and unleashed an unstoppable shot to the far post. Lang has now scored 13 goals in 21 internationals.



“It’s our first game in Canada this summer and we accomplished our objective,” said Canadian Head Coach Even Pellerud. “We should see this winning desire more often and I am demanding consistency. We made some mistakes but we have a number if games to correct them before the World Cup.”



England’s best chance to break Taryn Swiatek’s shutout bid came in the 45th minute when Sue Smith found herself alone in front of goal but missed her shot.



Canada will travel to Ottawa on Tuesday to prepare for the second game of the series at Ottawa’s Frank Clair Stadium on Thursday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. The CSA will host a media conference at the Assembly Hall at the Ottawa Civic Centre at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Canadian team will then host a soccer clinic at the University of Ottawa from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. for more than 250 local soccer players.



The team will have an autograph session at Frank Clair Stadium at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday followed by an open practice from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.



May 19, 2003 – International Friendly

SoccerPlexe, Lachine, QC

Canada t4 (2)

Englandt0 (0)

Cautions: England – Kelly McDougall (28); Samantha Britton (62)

Goals: Canada – Andrea Neil (20, 36), Kara Lang (66, 72)

Canada: 22-Taryn Swiatek; 3-Breanna Boyd; 5-Andrea Neil (13. Melanie Booth, 75); 6-Sharolta Nonen; 7-Diana Matheson (12-Veronique Maranda, 68); 8-Kristina Kiss (14. Carmelina Moscato, 79); 9-Candace Chapman; 10-Charmaine Hooper (C) (17-Amber Allen, 67); 11- Randee Hermus (4. Sasha Andrews, 79); 15-Kara Lang; 16-Brittany Timko; Subs Not Used: 1-Erin McLeod; Head coach: Even Pellerud.

England: 1-Rachel Brown; 2-Kirsty Pealing; 3-Rachel Unitt (19. Leanne Champ, 72); 4-Kelly McDougall; 5-Laura Bassett; 6-Mary Phillip (C); 7-Kristy Moore (17-Jody Hadley, 46); 8-Rachel McArthur (18-Samantha Britton ,46); 9-Carmaine Walker; 10-Amanda Barr (12. Ellen Maggs, 66); 11-Sue Smith; Subs Not Used: 13-Pauline Cope; 14-Alexa Hunn; 15-Casey Stoney; 16-Vicky Exley; 21-Karen Walker; 20-Rachel Yankey; 22-Toni-Anne Wayne.