While the talk was about what is going to happen on the pitch heading into next season’s championship, Head Coach John Herdman seems confident with his teams play.
Herdman was head coach for the New Zealand Women’s National Football team from 2006 to 2011, prior to teaming up with Canada’s National program.
When he arrived in New Zealand and joined the national association football program in 2003, he was first a Coach Education Manager and later on acted as Director of Football Development.
20 squad to the World Championship in 2006, then renamed U-20 World Cup in 2010.
He eventually helped them (senior squad) to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 07 and 11 and the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing China.
The change has helped Canada’s National program and he is looking long-term at youth, which is a nice fit from the past.
His contract runs through to 2020 and next year he’ll lead the team to the 2015 Women’s World Cup Championship played on home soil.
Canada’s Soccer President Victor Montagliani stated on a call from Rio “it’s not just his coaching ability, he’s building a program here in Canada.”
When you look at the game played at BC Place the talk following the game got around to the play of 16 year-old Jessie Fleming from London Ontario, who played strong in her role and never missed a step.
Herdman started four teenagers which included Fleming and three others and in the later part of the match he threw in yet another youngster Ashley Lawrence for 20 minutes of playing time.
The second half saw some errors of play in the mid-field, but those are easily cleaned up prior to the next match.
The 31 year-old from St. Albert Erin McLeod was outstanding when called upon to make several huge saves for her time on the pitch, keeping the game at 1.
It should be noted that the keeper at the other end Nadine Angerer was named the Goalkeeper of the Year and this shows why Germany is ranked 2nd in the world of Women’s Soccer.
The winning goal was scored of a penalty drive thrown high under the bar due to a penalty taken by a youngster allowing Simone Laudehr’s penalty kick to score in the 66th minute
While all eye’s were on Christine Sinclair, the German squad shut her down playing her tight keeping her in tight check.
In the end the German’s looked faster and stronger, not to mention they have the height advantage of the smaller 7th ranked Canadian squad in the world of Women’s Soccer.
Canada has a year in which to grow into a faster, more equipped team with more plays under their belt to surprise the world.
Canada needs everyone to step up and not make timely mistakes that could cost them at a decisive time of the game.
They played to a crowd of just over 16,000 fan’s, with many being young girls wanting to be the next Team Canada player.
Great photo by D. Laird Allan of https://sportswave.ca/
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