Nicosia, Cyprus | GSP Stadium
Attendance: 45
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if (is_null($match_action['action_player1'])) { ?> CAN WNT Goal: Schmidt, Sophie. Assist: Matheson, Diana } else { ?> Sophie Schmidt } ?>
Rachel Quon
Rhian Wilkinson
if (is_null($match_action['action_player1'])) { ?> Caution: Kyle, Kaylyn (CAN WNT) } else { ?> Kaylyn Kyle } ?>
if (is_null($match_action['action_player1'])) { ?> CAN WNT Goal: Matheson, Diana. Assist: Gayle, Robyn } else { ?> Diana Matheson } ?>
Robyn Gayle
Marie-Eve Nault
Josée Bélanger
Adriana Leon
Quinn
Emily Zurrer
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Coming up against a resilient and organized Republic of Ireland side, Canada’s Women’s National team scored twice in the second half to conclude the 2014 Cyprus Cup by clinching fifth place with a 2:1 at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia, CYP, on Wednesday.
Canada went down in the 13th minute when Ruesha Littlejohn scored to give the Irish a shock lead.
They defended strongly and frustrated the Canadians into the second half before Diana Matheson scored in the 56th minute. Right on the verge of the full-time whistle with penalties beckoning, Matheson popped up again to set up Sophie Schmidt’s winner as Canada hung on through four minutes of added time to pull out the victory.
After going down the goal, Canada brought wave after wave of pressure but up a goal, Ireland sat more players behind the ball and were very organized in defence. Despite the near constant pressure, Canada was stifled and weren’t getting much in the way of quality chances.
But as the game went on and the second half got underway, Canada came out in good form and it was finally rewarded when Robyn Gayle, who came on at halftime, swung in a pass that was behind the Irish defenders and perfectly placed for Matheson to run onto. Unmarked, Matheson had time to look up and score her second goal of the competition.
She scored in the 3:1 win over Italy and also stands as the scorer of an own goal in the 2:0 loss to England.
Had the teams remained tied, there wouldn’t have been extra time and they would have gone straight to penalties and a draw would have been a great result for an Irish team that had been playing well and was unbeaten in their three games at the tournament.
But Matheson led a late run on the right and cut back to the penalty spot. After a bit of a scramble in front of the goal, Schmidt scored from close range.
Canada’s next game is in Winnipeg at Investors Group Field against the United States.
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