Canada Post 2-0 Win Over Australia

Kingston, Ontario – Canada’s Women’s World Cup Team battled to a 2-0 win over Australian at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ontario in their final exhibition game prior to the Women’s World Cup. Playing in front of a sellout crowd of 10,068, the Canadians earned their third consecutive shutout (following back-to-back wins over Mexico) and have now gone 10 games without a loss (nine wins, one draw).



Canadian captain Charmaine Hooper broke a scoreless game in the 72nd minute when she headed home a Kristina Kiss corner kick from close range. It was Hooper’s 58th goal in her 101st game. A minute later Rhian Wilkinson made it 2-0 when she hammered home a right-footed shot which went off Australian goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri.



Head coach Even Pellerud experimented with a different starting lineup, inserting Wilkinson up front alongside Kara Lang and Christine Latham and opting to rest Christine Sinclair. For the third straight game, Hooper started in the middle of a back four, this time alongside Sharolta Nonen with Tanya Dennis and Silvana Burtini on the outside. Brittany Timko went back to her customary role in the midfield alongside Andrea Neil and Kristina Kiss. Karina LeBlanc started in goal.



Canada’s first chance came in the 5th minute when Kiss tried to catch starting goalkeeper Cassandra Kell napping when instead of crossing a free kick she went for goal with her shot just missing the top right hand corner.



In the 25th minute, Timko got forward and delivered a near post cross which Kell managed to grab in front of the charging Latham. Three minutes later Wilkinson made a strong run into the box and Kell cut out her far post shot with Lang looking for the pass or rebound.



Australia had a great chance to open the scoring in the 34th minute. LeBlanc came off her line for a cross but managed to only punch the ball away. The ball fell to Heather Garriock whose shot was cleared near the goal line by Hooper.



Sinclair replaced Latham to start the second half. The move seemed to have immediate dividends when she knocked a ball into the six-yard box, which Wilkinson rolled into an empty goal only for the play to be ruled offside.



Matheson replaced Burtini in the 57th minute with Timko dropping back to left back and Matheson going into the middle. Sasha Andrews replaced Lang and went into the back four with Hooper moving up to striker and Isabelle Morneau replaced Kiss with Timko moving back into midfield in the 76th minute. Taryn Swiatek replaced LeBlanc in the 83rd minute.



September 14, 2003 – International Friendly

Richardson Stadium, Kingston, Ontario

Attendance: 10,068

Canadat2 (0)

Australiat0 (0)

Referee: Sonia Denoncourt

Assistant Referees: Denise Robinson, Lynda Bramble

Fourth Official: Silviu Petrescu

Goals: Charmaine Hooper (72), Rhian Wilkinson (73)

Cautions: Andrea Neil (8)

Canada: Karina LeBlanc (Taryn Swiatek, 83), Silvana Burtini (Diana Matheson, 57), Sharolta Nonen, Tanya Dennis, Brittany Timko, Andrea Neil, Kristina Kiss (Isabelle Morneau, 76), Charmaine Hooper, Rhian Wilkinson, Kara Lang (Sasha Andrews, 76), Christine Latham (Christine Sinclair, 46). Head coach: Even Pellerud

Australia: Cassandra Kell (Melissa Barbieri, 46), Gillian Foster, Sacha Wainwright, Cheryl Salisbury (Pam Grant, 88), Rhian Davies, Bryony Duus (Danielle Small, 78), April Mann (Kelly Golebiowski, 78), Joanne Peters, Heather Garriock, Karla Reuter, Tal Karp (Taryn Rockall). Head Coach: Adrian Santrac