Up-and-coming Spain the last challenge for Canada at the Arnold Clark Cup

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This article was published 22/02/2022 (1680 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s a lot to like, and some things Canada might want to mimic, when it comes to women’s soccer in Spain, but it will be everyone for themselves when the two teams meet Wednesday (9:30 a.m., TSN) in their final match at the Arnold Clark Cup.

Canada will capture the event’s shiny cone-shaped trophy with a win. The Canadians sit atop the four-team standings with four points, while Spain and England have two points apiece, and Germany one. England faces Germany on Wednesday afternoon.

Spain has yet to earn a victory at the England-based competition, but it might be Canada’s toughest competition. Its reputation in women’s soccer is among the fastest growing in the game, with Spain boasting perhaps the best player in the women’s game, reigning Ballon d’Or Feminin winner Alexia Putellas, and with FC Barcelona Femeni holding the UEFA Women’s Champions League title. The Spaniards will be among the favourites at this summer’s European Championship.

Such successes are, in large part, a reflection of the investment made in women’s soccer in Spain in recent years. The country’s Primera Division and second division were granted professional status in June 2020 and some of the top La Liga sides — Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Real Sociedad, Villareal, Sevilla and more — boast women’s programs. The women’s teams know how to piece together a fluid and precise passing game that can tear the other team’s defence apart.

A domestic league means a wider pool of homegrown players for the Spanish national team, which, at No. 9, is in the top 10 of the FIFA world rankings for the first time.

“They’re a team that’s brilliant on the ball,” Canadian coach Bev Priestman said. “It asks questions of you defensively to be able to cope with them and how much they move the ball … They’ve got top players. It’s going to be a great test for us.

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Spain could be an example of the challenge the Canadians will face in the coming years. Canada does not have a domestic women’s league and, without a similar wealth of homegrown talent, could see itself battling to hold its place in the game with emerging nations prospering from more development.

But on Wednesday, the focus will be narrower for the Canadians, who will look to break down Spain’s high press with their speed and ability to strike in transition.

Canada has already proven it can play with the best European competition through its first two games of this tournament, and that should provide a confidence boost during qualifying for the 2023 Women’s World Cup this summer. With half the team still in the pre-season phase of the year, a win over Spain on Wednesday will not be imperative to counting this competition as a success.

“If we win, fantastic,” Priestman said. “The players thoroughly deserve it for the effort they’ve put in under the circumstances. And if we don’t win, then we’ve taken some steps forward, and I think that’s the most important thing.”

Laura Armstrong is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @lauraarmy