Final Score: Canada 2-1 New Zealand
Goalscorers: Lacasse 45+4′, Viens 79′; Barry 13′
Paris 2024 Olympic Games — Group Stage Match #1
The Canadian women’s national team began the defence of their Olympic gold medal with three points in Saint-Étienne, France on Thursday, picking up a 2-1 victory over New Zealand in their first group stage match at Paris 2024.
Canada dominated the early stages but weren’t able to turn any of that possession into legitimate scoring chances. It was New Zealand who ended up taking the lead with the first shot on target of the match in the 13th minute, a great effort from Mackenzie Barry. After receiving a low cross from a corner kick, Barry turned and picked out the top left corner with a shot that crashed down into the net off the bottom of the crossbar past a diving Kailen Sheridan.
Les Rouges nearly responded immediately, but Vanessa Gilles and Nichelle Prince had back-to-back shots blocked following a set piece.
MACKENZIE BARRY PUTS THE @NZ_Football FERNS ON TOP 🇳🇿🌿 pic.twitter.com/NpCrB2ueXV
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) July 25, 2024
Going down a goal seemed to spark some life into the Canadians, who were on the front foot for the rest of the first half, and for most of the rest of the match. Les Rouges outshot New Zealand ten to one in the first 45 minutes, with all ten of those shots coming after giving up the goal.
After testing Anna Leat with a couple of shots on target, but missing the power and placement to get themselves on the board, Canada’s first great chance of the match came in the final moments of the opening half. Ashley Lawrence played a cross into the box and the ball fell to Nichelle Prince, but she couldn’t keep her effort down, sending it over the bar from close range. It landed at Prince’s feet quickly, and she didn’t have a lot of time to react to it, but was still frustrated that she was unable to direct it on target.
With time running out in the first half, Cloé Lacasse got Canada on the board, finishing off a great team move up the pitch. A series of sharp passes from the Canadians were too much for the New Zealand defenders to deal with as Canada quickly got the ball into the box, where Lacasse fired a shot into the top right corner.
Lacasse scores the equalizer for Canada right before the half time whistle.
First time Olympian is getting straight to work in her Olympic debut. pic.twitter.com/OG9Upyi2aT
— SHE scores bangers (@SHEscoresbanger) July 25, 2024
Canada’s dominance continued after the break, picking up where they left off and pinning New Zealand into their own half for much of the second 45 as well.
Quinn got a header on target just after the hour mark after a free kick into the box from Jessie Fleming, but Leat made a fantastic diving stop to keep the sides tied at one — one of several big saves for the Football Ferns netminder in the match. The reigning champions continued to test Leat with shots, but they either missed the target or she was equal to them, until Canada found their breakthrough in the 79th minute through substitute Evelyne Viens.
Spotting a run forward from Viens, Fleming played a precise ball to her charging teammate. Viens chased it down and expertly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal with her first touch, giving Canada a 2-1 advantage.
The find from Fleming, the one touch finish from Viens. THAT is a goal. pic.twitter.com/lTVexWfKRY
— SHE scores bangers (@SHEscoresbanger) July 25, 2024
As the match neared its conclusion with eight minutes of stoppage time, New Zealand found a surge of energy and was able to sustain some pressure on the Canadian backline. Michaela Foster got a shot off from the edge of the penalty area three minutes into stoppage time, but couldn’t keep her effort down as it sailed over the head of Sheridan.
Viens had a chance to put the game to bed in the fifth minute of stoppage time, after a lung-busting run onto the end of another pass down the field opened up a scoring chance, but her shot was directly at Leat. Her earlier goal would stand as the match-winner, though, as she once again impressed off the bench and raised questions about whether she should be in Canada’s starting lineup going forward.
Canada were able to hang on in the remaining minutes for a 2-1 victory, and three huge points to kick off the defence of their gold medal from three years ago in Tokyo. After outshooting New Zealand 22-7 in the match, Canada will perhaps be frustrated about the fact that they didn’t record more than two goals, in case that ends up being a tiebreaker to decide who advances to the quarterfinals.
A win is a win, however, and Canada now turn their attention to the hosts France on Sunday.
Box Score
Lineups
Canada: Sheridan; Rose, Gilles, Buchanan; Lawrence, Fleming, Quinn (Awujo 67′), Carle (Viens 67′); Leon (Zadorsky 90+4′), Prince (Beckie 56′), Lacasse (Huitema 56′)
New Zealand: Leat; Bott, Bowen, Stott, Barry (Foster 59′); Jale, Steinmetz (Fraser 59′), Taylor (Rennie 87′), Kitching; Clegg (Hand 66′), Riley
Goals
13′ — Mackenzie Barry (New Zealand)
45+4′ — Cloé Lacasse (Canada)
79′ — Evelyne Viens (Canada)
Discipline
85′ — Yellow: Kadeisha Buchanan (Canada)
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Jessie Fleming, Canada
Canada’s captain played a key role in both of her team’s goals in this match, and pulled the strings in midfield like she often does. Fleming made a game-high seven key passes in this match, four more than any other player, and did her job defensively, often involved in a physical battle in the middle of the park with Malia Steinmetz and the New Zealand midfield.