Resilient CanWNT reaches Olympic quarters despite points deduction
Not even a six-point deduction could keep the reigning Olympic gold medalists down.
Canada's women's soccer team, docked by FIFA for the drone-spying scandal that's engulfed the program, delivered in a must-win situation in its Group A finale against Colombia on Wednesday, winning 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals and keep its title defense going in Paris.
Defender Vanessa Gilles, whose 102nd-minute winner against France kept Canada alive in last week's emotional victory over the host nation, was the hero once again, rising highest to head home the lone goal from a pinpoint Jessie Fleming free-kick in the 61st minute.
Canada largely nullified Colombian superstar Linda Caicedo and withstood some late pressure inside its own penalty area to secure the vital three points.
Anything other than a victory would've eliminated the Canadians, who won all three games in the opening round but ultimately finish second in Group A on three points as a result of the penalty.
| Team | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. France | +1 | 6 |
| 2. Canada* | +3 | 3 |
| 3. Colombia | 0 | 3 |
| 4. New Zealand | -4 | 0 |
The victory came just hours after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed Canada's appeal, upholding the sanction that soccer's governing body imposed as punishment for spying. Head coach Bev Priestman, who has since apologized to the players and country for her role in the scandal, was sent home by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and then suspended for one year by FIFA.
"We did it, we always believed in it," Gilles said after Wednesday's match, according to Gregory Strong of The Canadian Press. "We always knew that we could do it. The chances were stacked against us but we pulled through. We stayed together through it all."
She added: "The world might be against us, but Canada is sticking with us, and hopefully, we go all the way ... The one thing that we can control, the one thing that's in our grasp is the pitch. That's something that they can't take away from us as much as they tried."
Canada, looking for a fourth consecutive Olympic medal in women's soccer, will play Germany in the quarterfinals Aug. 3 in Marseille. The match kicks off at 1 p.m. ET.
Despite the loss, Colombia advanced to the next round as one of the two best third-placed finishers in the tournament.
Quarterfinal matchups:
- United States vs. Japan
- Spain vs. Colombia
- Canada vs. Germany
- France vs. Brazil
A win over Germany could potentially set up a tantalizing semifinal meeting between Canada and the United States. The neighbors are on the same side of the knockout bracket.
The Olympic semifinals are slated for Aug. 6.
The bronze-medal match will take place Aug. 9, while the gold-medal winner will be decided the following day.