Final Score: Canada 0-0 Germany (2-4 on pens.)
Paris 2024 Olympic Games — Quarterfinals
The Canadian women’s national team won’t reach the podium at a fourth consecutive Olympics, with their run at the Paris 2024 Games ending at the quarterfinal stage on Saturday with a shootout defeat to Germany.
Lea Schüller had a golden opportunity to give Germany the lead ten minutes in, left alone in front of goal with a wide open lane to shoot. Germany’s leading scorer at this tournament couldn’t take advantage of her chance, however, making poor contact with the ball to float it wide of the target.
Klara Bühl tested Kailen Sheridan several minutes later, but the Canadian goalkeeper made an incredible save, getting low and making her body big to keep the game scoreless.
Soccer féminin ⚽ : @Kailen_Sheridan se dresse devant l'attaquante allemande! 🇨🇦 0-0 🇩🇪#jeuxolympiques #Paris2024 #RCsports #soccer #ÉquipeCanada pic.twitter.com/kjG3TMem8o
— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) August 3, 2024
Quinn had Canada’s first shot of the match in the 23rd minute, but their effort from distance went high over the crossbar. Jessie Fleming got onto the end of a deep cross into the box five minutes later, attempting to head it back across the box toward Jordyn Huitema, but it ended up in the arms of her former Chelsea teammate Ann-Katrin Berger.
Canada grew into the half as time went on, but were unable to find a breakthrough and the sides went into the break tied scoreless. More worrying for Canada at halftime was their captain Fleming not re-emerging for the second half after seemingly suffering a head injury just before the break after colliding with a German defender.
Germany came out well in the second half, getting close to the Canadian net on several occasions, but Vanessa Gilles, Kadeisha Buchanan, Jade Rose, and Gabrielle Carle made a number of crucial tackles and interceptions. Around the 70-minute mark, the momentum shifted firmly in Canada’s favour, and they had a couple of promising opportunities from their second half substitutes, but struggled to really test Berger in the German net. Adriana Leon sent a shot wide of the right post, before Cloé Lacasse drove a low shot right at the goalkeeper.
Berger was crucial for the Germans as Canada built into the half. Leon had a glorious chance on a breakaway in the 71st minute, but the goalkeeper made an excellent save with her outstretched leg to deny Canada the opening goal. It was a chance that Leon would be expected to take advantage of, but on this occasion it was not to be. Viens tested Berger as well moments later, but her shot from the edge of the box was right at the goalkeeper as well.
Viens was unable to hit the target in the 79th minute as she attempted to redirect a cross from Lacasse on target, sending it wide of the left post.
Soccer féminin ⚽ : quel chance ratée par les canadiennes…🇨🇦😳 c'est toujours 0-0 à la 70e minute de jeu.#jeuxolympiques #Paris2024 #RCsports #soccer #ÉquipeCanada pic.twitter.com/EvdRwIcEiO
— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) August 3, 2024
With seconds left in the 90 minutes, Germany had the opportunity to take a late lead as a cross was floated to their leading scorer Lea Schüller at the back post, but there was a touch from a Canadian defender on the way through and it went out for an inconsequential corner.
After a back-and-forth 90 minutes, extra time would be needed to determine the winner, and which of these two past Olympic champions would get the chance to play for a medal at Paris 2024. Both sides traded chances in extra time, but a lack of clinical finishing was the theme of the day at both ends of the pitch.
Two periods of 15 minutes came and went before penalties would be needed to determine the winner. Germany scored four of their five shots, while Adriana Leon and Ashley Lawrence had shots saved by Berger, as the reigning Olympic champions were eliminated from the competition at the quarterfinal stage.
Berger scored the winning penalty in addition to her two shootout saves, beating Kailen Sheridan to sent her team into the semifinals and a match against the United States.
It is the first time Canada has missed the podium in this event since Beijing 2008, winning bronze medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and then a famous gold at Tokyo 2020.
Le Canada 🇨🇦 a vu son parcours s'arrêter face à l'Allemagne 🇩🇪 en quarts de finale. Les faits saillants de ce match 👇#jeuxolympiques #Paris2024 #RCsports #soccer #ÉquipeCanada pic.twitter.com/YWXmoLnYjB
— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) August 3, 2024
Box Score
Lineups
Canada: Sheridan; Rose, Gilles, Buchanan, Carle (Lacasse 57′); Awujo (Grosso 109′), Quinn; Lawrence, Fleming (Beckie 46′), Huitema (Viens 57′); Prince (Leon 57′)
Germany: Berger; Gwinn, Hendrich, Hegering, Rauch; Brand, Minge, Nüsken (Lohmann 65′), Bühl (Endemann 65′ ((Senß 104′))); Popp, Schüller (Freigang 114′)
Goals
none
Penalty Shootout
- Germany: Gwinn (GOAL)
Canada: Quinn (GOAL) - Germany: Minge (GOAL)
Canada: Lawrence (MISS) - Germany: Lohmann (MISS)
Canada: Leon (MISS) - Germany: Rauch (GOAL)
Canada: Beckie (GOAL) - Germany: Berger (GOAL)
Discipline
79′ — Yellow: Jule Brand (Germany)
102′ — Yellow: Felicitas Rauch (Germany)
107′ — Yellow: Giulia Gwinn (Germany)
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Ann-Katrin Berger, Germany
The German goalkeeper made five saves in this match, including a crucial stop to deny Adriana Leon on a breakaway. She was also the hero in the shootout, saving shots from Leon and Ashley Lawrence, before stepping up to score the winning kick herself.