Canada earn point in FIFA World Cup opener against Nigeria

Canada earned a point in their opening Group B match at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 following a 0:0 draw against Nigeria. The two sides are also now tied for second place behind group leaders Australia after the co-hosts won their opening match 1:0 over the Republic of Ireland on the tournament’s opening day.

While Canada managed a point in their FIFA World Cup opener for the third tournament in a row, Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie earned FIFA Player of the Match honours after she stopped Christine Sinclair’s penalty attempt in the second half.

Five Canadians made their FIFA World Cup debut in the Friday afternoon match at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. Kailen Sheridan, Vanessa Gilles and Julia Grosso were amongst the starters while Cloé Lacasse and Evelyne Viens were amongst the finishers.

“This is a tournament football so we take a point out of today,” said Bev Priestman, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team Head Coach. “We have to keep moving forward, we’ll stay calm and we move on to the next task.”

Canada Soccer Match Centre : https://canadasoccer.com/national-team-match-past/?matchId=3346

Beyond their opening match, Canada will face the Republic of Ireland in Perth on Wednesday 26 July (20.00 local / 08.00 ET / 05.00 PT) and then co-hosts Australia back in Melbourne on Monday 31 July (20.00 local / 06.00 ET / 03.00 PT). From Group B, the Round of 16 matches are Monday 7 August (Brisbane or Sydney), the Quarterfinals are Saturday 12 August (Brisbane or Sydney), the Semifinals are Wednesday 16 August (Sydney), and the Final is Sunday 20 August (Sydney).

Across Canada, every match will be broadcast live on CTV, TSN and RDS, with extended coverage of Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team from CanadaSoccer.com to Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Twitter and Youtube featuring the hashtags #CANWNT and #WeCAN. There are 24 Carlsberg’s Official Canadian Supporter Locations at pubs and bars across Canada to support the Women’s National Team at the FIFA World Cup. On the day before each match in Australia, Canada Soccer House events presented by CIBC in Melbourne and Perth will create a vibrant rallying point for all those supporting Canada in Australia.

CANADA SOCCER’S WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
Canada are Olympic champions (Tokyo 2020), two-time bronze medal winners (2012 and 2016), and two-time Concacaf champions (1998 and 2010). In all, Canada have participated in eight consecutive editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ (1995 to 2023) and four consecutive editions of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament (2008 to 2021). At Tokyo 2020, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team became the first Canadian team to win three consecutive medals at the Summer Olympic Games and just the third nation in the world to win three medals in women’s soccer.

Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Youth Teams, meanwhile, have won four Concacaf youth titles: the 2004 and 2008 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, the 2010 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship, and the 2014 Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship. Canada have qualified for nine editions of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (including a silver medal at Canada 2002) and all seven editions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup (including a fourth-place finish at Uruguay 2018).

CAN 0 : 0 NGA
2023-07-21 Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium att. 21,410
Referee / Arbitre : Lina Lehtovaara (Chrysoula Kourompylia, Karolin Kaivoja, Luliana Demetrescu)

CANADA –  1 GK Kailen Sheridan; 8 Jayde Riviere (2 Allysha Chapman 71′), 3 Kadeisha Buchanan, 14 Vanessa Gilles, 10 Ashley Lawrence, 5 Quinn, 7 Julia Grosso (15 Nichelle Prince 82′), 12 Christine Sinclair capt.(13 Sophie Schmidt 71′), 6 Deanne Rose (20 Cloé Lacasse HT), 9 Jordyn Huitema,19 Adriana Leon (11 Evelyne Viens 64′). Coach / Entraîneure Bev Priestman. Unused substitutes / substituts non utilisés: 18 GK Sabrina D’Angelo, 22 Lysianne Proulx; 4 Shelina Zadorsky, 16 Gabrielle Carle, 17 Jessie Fleming, 21 Simi Awujo, 23 Olivia Smith.

Penalty save / arrêt de pénalité 50′ NGA GK Chiamaka Nnadozie
Red card / carton rouge 90’+7 NGA Deborah Abiodun

Performance of the Match / Performance du match:
Quinn