Priestman pulls all the right strings in Canada's win over Ireland at Women's World Cup
Lineup changes and substitutions spark team to crucial win
A rainy, windy night didn't stop the celebrations or enthusiasm of fans at Canada's 2-1 win over Ireland at the Women's World Cup.
Outside the entry gates of Perth's Rectangular Stadium, green-clad fans cheered while "Here Come The Irish" blared. The predominantly Irish crowd thundered when the Republic of Ireland's national anthem played.
I wondered if that environment might be challenging for the Canadian players, and after the match, midfielder Quinn said they didn't expect to see and hear so many Irish fans.
"I was a little surprised when the anthem went," Quinn said. "We're not always going to be the favourites in the stands and I think that was a good challenge for us."
Ireland's Marissa Sheva said it felt like a home game due to the dedicated fans. But I did spot a Montreal Canadiens hoodie, a few Canada kits, and a Toronto Maple Leaf toque in the crowd. I also heard a quiet but persistent "Ca-Na-Da" cheer from one section. There were electric cheers all the way through the game despite the torrential downpour.
WATCH: Jessie Fleming on 2nd-half resurgence:
But for Canada, cheers weren't what pulled them through to a win over the girls in green. For head coach Bev Priestman, it was bravery in her choices, and for the Canadian players, it was being cognizant of their own energy.
This might have been the most exciting match Canada has played in a while. In the fourth minute, Ireland captain Katie McCabe scored off of a stunning corner kick, hooking it untouched into the Canadian net. That kind of goal is called an Olimpico and is quite rare. It was also the quickest goal scored at this Women's World Cup thus far.
The crowd responded appropriately with a tremendous roar. After that, every time McCabe touched the ball, the stadium erupted into cheers, or whenever Ireland's goalkeeper, Courtney Brosnan, made a save.
The way Canada played in the first half seemed lacklustre, particularly for a team that made it clear that getting their three points was absolutely necessary.
WATCH: Jayde Riviere praises Canada's character in win over Ireland:
"I felt we wobbled in the first half, our bravery wasn't there and I felt we played a little bit scared," Priestman said.
Ireland was not overly tough or physical and Canada certainly matched the play from the start. Managing McCabe was no easy task and she rallied the team at every possible instant. Both teams wanted to prove themselves but Canada persevered. Ireland came out blaring and truly played like a team that was fighting for its survival in the tournament. The loss, coupled with their opening-game loss to Australia, eliminated them from advancing to the knockout rounds.
WATCH: Soccer North on a tale of two halves:
My daughter was watching the match at a gathering in Toronto.
"Ireland was dominant in the first 20 minutes or so," was her observation, "but then [Christine Sinclair] came on and she is the rock of the team. They picked up and I knew they would deliver."
Of course her confidence is convenient after Canada secured the win. I wondered if anyone else was stressed in the first half or even in the first 15 minutes. Ireland also continued to work hard and attack and create opportunities.
WATCH: Soccer North previews Canada vs. Australia:
Irish forward Kyra Carusa stayed on Canadian midfielder Jessie Fleming like a coat of wet paint and was creating chaos in Canada's box. But Canada pressed deep into extra time of the first half and a shot from Julia Grosso ricocheted off Megan Connolly and was counted as an own goal against Ireland.
"The goal at the end of half really boosted our momentum," defender Vanessa Gilles said of going into the second half tied 1-1. "And obviously the subs coming in gave us new energy, new life and experience like Sophie is always incredible."
The energy that Gilles speaks of shifted in the second half of the match and felt elevated. Sinclair, Sophie Schmidt and Shelina Zadorsky were subbed on for Evelyne Viens, Grosso and Kadeisha Buchanan and that infusion of experienced players seemed to make a lot of difference immediately.
In the 53rd minute, Schmidt offered a beautiful pass to Adriana Leon who slipped the ball past Bronson.
"I think we were a bit sloppy in the first half and I think at half time it was a gut check," Schmidt said. "You know, that wasn't good enough, that's not who we are and we are capable of so much more and kind of rolled up our sleeves and got the job done."
Quinn agreed and added more about the mentality shift and reflected on the team's energy.
"There was a little bit of panic, you could see on some people's faces in the first 10-15 [minutes,]" Quinn said. "For us it was keeping the calm energy, making sure we were checked on our energy, just having some tactical changes that we needed to be aware of."
Priestman said she reminded the players at halftime that they are the Olympic champions.
That bravery also applied to Priestman's decision-making, which paid off.
"I knew I had to be brave with the changes at half," she said. "And get after it because ultimately you don't get these moments back."
That experience and expertise is something that Ireland's coach Vera Pauw commented on.
"Experience is what we lack," she said. "This is our first tournament — our first World Cup. Experience shows [Canada] waits for those few moments ... and they know how to react with situations."
Knowing how to react and keeping calm is what Quinn spoke of. Quinn's own poise and confidence on the pitch is a standout at this tournament. Quinn noted that not all skills are technical, many are mental.
Being mindful of energy is important, particularly when staying positive and steady is a challenge when politics and unfinished business looms for the team. In the hours before the game the Canadian men's team issued a statement about ongoing labour disputes with Canada Soccer, but Fleming spoke for the team when she said they would not discuss it during the tournament.
For Canada, next steps will be to analyze the game, recover, and then a quick turnaround for the match against Australia on Monday. Keeping that energy steady will be important as they will be playing in Melbourne to a sold-out crowd of mostly Australian fans.
But it would seem that Canada is becoming adept at making that work.
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