Canada – USA Soccer Friendly Inspires Future Players
By Derick Ramos
Some of the world’s best women soccer players converged at Investors Group Field to showcase their talent in front of 28,255 fans. The Canadian women’s national soccer team took on the number one ranked American club and continued their heated rivalry in an exciting affair that resulted in a 1-1 draw.
The fans were treated to an international soccer friendly which served as a teaser to the 2015 women’s World Cup that will be hosted by Canada. Given the cool but dry conditions, Winnipeggers still came out to support the Canadian squad to record the second highest attendance for a women’s game in Canada. Winnipeg will play host to group stage matches in next year’s tournament. Canadian soccer hero Christine Sinclair and Winnipegger Desiree Scott both suited up for the match.
Canada opened the scoring in the 35th minute when 18-year-old defender Kadeisha Buchanan headed a corner kick past a diving American keeper, Hope Solo. Buchanan’s goal was her first as a member of the national team.
Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod was brilliant in net stopping Heather O’Reilly and Abby Wambach to keep the Americans off the board. However, in the 78th minute another Canadian born player scored. Sydney Leroux, who was born in Surrey, BC but has played for the United States since 2008, scored off a misplay by Rebecca Quinn to equalize the game to the dismay of the crowd. Canadian coach John Herdman was disappointed with the end result.
“Disappointed, I’ve got to say,” Herdman said of the game. “You’re one up on against the number one team in the world with 15 minutes to go I won’t be standing here clapping”.
Despite the draw, Herdman tipped his hat to the Winnipeg crowd stating earlier in the week that his team would need the hometown crowd to get behind them. Many young fans in attendance were treated to a world class soccer match with many walking away with dreams of playing for Canada one day.
“The future was out there tonight,” Herdman said of his young players Buchanan and Quinn.
And just maybe the future of Canadian soccer was out there watching in the stands also.
