No trace of concern in Canada camp

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This article was published 15/06/2015 (4066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

“Dread of disaster makes everybody act in the way that increases the disaster.”

— Bertrand Russell

The Canadian national women’s soccer team insists it isn’t panicking. Which is good. Nothing spreads quite as quickly and disastrously as a collective sense of impending doom.

Judging by the comments coming out of the camp ahead of today’s Group A showdown with the Netherlands, the host nation of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup is still some way from sounding the alarm.

“Another solid performance from Canada,” was manager John Herdman’s assessment of Thursday’s lacklustre 0-0 draw with New Zealand.

“We completely dominated,” exclaimed captain and all-time leading goal scorer Christine Sinclair after her successful, stoppage-time penalty lifted Canada to an important, if underwhelming, 1-0 win over China to open the competition.

No one’s doubting the sincerity of such pronouncements. They might be naive, or at least spun to put a positive twist on the general dissatisfaction with their performances to date, but at this point it doesn’t matter.

If the players and coaching staff remain upbeat despite generating little offence and just a single goal from 180 minutes, then all the power to them. And it’s not as though they don’t have reason for optimism as the schedule enters a crucial stretch.

Through two matches Canada has yet to concedea goal, a remarkable achievement given Lauren Sesselmann’s struggles on defence, but a credit and then some to fellow centre-back Kadeisha Buchanan.

The 19-year-old is already among the best players in the world at her position, and midfielder Ashley Lawrence has impressed so far as well.

But here’s the cold, hard truth: Canada can still finish third in its section, and given the desperation with which third-place Netherlands will be approaching today’s contest, a first-round meeting with either Germany or Japan remains a very real possibility.

Like the Canadians, the Dutch have found the back of the net only once this tournament and are waiting for their best attackers to find a rich furrow of form.

Playmaker Danielle van de Donk, who kept things ticking in the centre of the park against New Zealand, wasn’t nearly as effective against China; teenage striker Vivianne Miedema — a Bundesliga winner with Bayern Munich — has yet to show the finishing ability that has her earmarked for greatness.

The thing is, should the two of them finally discover a purple patch in Montreal, their Canadian opponents will find themselves in a world of trouble.

‘Another

solid

performance from Canada’

— Canadian coach John Herdman, keeping a stiff upper lip after a draw with New Zealand

Both sides remain in the mix for top spot in the bracket, the reward for which is a considerably more comfortable Round of 16 assignment than either Germany or Japan, or even Switzerland, who will likely face the Group A runnerup.

Then there is China — currently a point back of Canada following an energetic victory over the Netherlands. They, too, can claim first place and will do so with the combination of a win against New Zealand and a draw in Montreal.

Herdman, meanwhile, has hinted change could be afoot in his starting 11. But only to “freshen things up,” he assures.

Midfielder Kaylyn Kyle will likely replace Winnipeg’s Desiree Scott, who is on a booking, and winger Adriana Leon may be preferred to the misfiring Melissa Tancredi.

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If the adjustments haven’t paid off by about the hour-mark at Olympic Stadium the manager will be forced to look at further options, of which he doesn’t have many.

That’s when the panic will set in. And rightfully so.

For now, however, it’s calm, purposeful business as usual within the Canadian ranks.

Or so they say.

jerradpeters@gmail.com Twitter @JerradPeters