A 52nd minute goal by Josee Belanger in Vancouver, was enough to give hosts Canada a 1-0 victory over World Cup newcomers Switzerland in a game of high intensity but few goal scoring opportunities.
The round of 16 game was played in front of a crowd of nearly 54,000, a record for any national team, from any sport, in Canadian history.
Both sides showed much endeavour during the first half but the nearest that either team came to opening the scoring was a fluke. An over-hit Belanger cross from the right deceived Swiss keeper Gaelle Thalmann and rebounded off the far post and away to safety.
But soon after half time, Belanger would make a more telling contribution that would see Canada through to just their second ever Women’s World Cup quarter final. A Christine Sinclair touch was blocked in the box and the ball feel kindly to the feet of Belanger around the penalty spot. She hit a crisp curling left footed shot at goal and the ball flew into the far corner to raise the roof off the BC Place Stadium.
Belanger almost doubled the Maple Leafs advantage with 20 minutes remaining, when a cross into the Swiss box caused panic in their defence and Thalmann came for the ball but didn’t collect, leaving Belanger to lift the ball towards goal. Unfortunately for the tens of thousands of Canadians watching, Switzerland’s Caroline Abbe got back in the nick of time to control the ball and clear it off the line to keep her side in the game.
Switzerland’s best two chances came late on, when, firstly, Ana Maria Crnogorcevic headed over the crossbar from a promising position, before goalkeeper Erin McLeod would again be the hero for Canada as she produced a point blank save from Vanessa Bernauer in the latter stages.
The home nation were able to hold on to their slender advantage and set up a quarter final encounter with the winners of England vs. Norway, but the Canadians have yet to score more than once in any of their games and this will surely have to change if they are to become serious contenders for the title.
Player of the match profile: Erin McLeod
The goalkeeping heroics of Canada’s stopper Erin McLeod have been one of the many highlights of the 2015 Women’s World Cup so far. They have also been one of the main reasons that the Maple Leafs have made it this far in the tournament.
Canada were unbeaten in their group and have now advanced to the quarter finals, all whilst only scoring three goals. But thanks to the metaphorical brick wall that is McLeod, their lack of clinical finishing has not hindered their progression in the tournament, as a goals against tally of just one proves how important an impenetrable defence can be.
Canada’s number one has pulled off numerous game saving stops, as well as being commanding in the area from corners and free kicks. This has allowed her defenders to push a little further up field and press the ball away from the Canadian goal.
It is a little strange that this Player of the Match award was her first of the competition, especially as the game against the Swiss was one where she was least required to pull of her shot stopping brilliance.
Yet, this is a thoroughly deserved award for one of the players of the tournament so far, and arguably her team’s MVP.
