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Summer Universiade (Aug 21): Canada matches best result ever in women's soccer
Photo credit Freestyle Photography
SHENZHEN, China (CIS) – The Canadian women’s soccer team defeated Russia 1-0 on Sunday afternoon in its Summer Universiade finale to secure fifth place, matching its best result in history at the world university games.
Canada (4-2) had previously finished fifth in 2005 in Turkey and in 1993 in Buffalo, when the sport made its Universiade debut.
“We would have preferred to play for a medal, but fifth place feels pretty good right now,” said Team Canada and Trinity Western University head coach Graham Roxburgh, who was also at the helm in 2009 in Serbia. “It was a very physical game and our defence was really good. Justine Labrecque was outstanding, as she has been the entire tournament.”
“We deserved a good result and we’re very happy to have rebounded with back-to-back wins after our loss to Japan in the quarter-finals,” said star striker Véronique Laverdière, the reigning Canadian Interuniversity Sport player of the year.
“We gave it all we had today, we had nothing left in the tank. The heat and humidity really were a factor, especially near the end of the tournament,” added the Montreal native, who was named team captain for the final game of her career.
The two rivals spent the majority of the first half trying to solve the opposing defence, without much success. The best Canadian opportunity came in the 29th minute when Laverdière rushed on the right side and got by a pair of defenders before sending the ball to Janine Frazao of Port Moody, B.C., who was all alone in front of the net. Frazao’s shot just hit the outside of the post however, and the contest remained tied.
Striker Daniela Gerig of Langley, B.C., entered the game early in the second half and her addition seemed to rejuvenate the Canadian offence. In the 48th minute, her hard shot made it through two defenders but couldn’t get past keeper Maria Zhamanakova.
A few minutes later however, in the 52nd, Gillian Baggott of Ottawa scored the game’s lone goal. Standing by the far post, the University of Ottawa student redirected a corner from Alyssa Lagonia just past the goal line.
The two teams kept the pressure on until the final whistle but the Canadians couldn’t add to their lead and the Russians couldn’t find the equalizer.
China and Japan face off in the Universiade final on Sunday night.
