Highlight-reel goal by Leon lifts Canadian women past Brazil in soccer friendly

Having coached the U.S. to 2 Olympic gold medals and a silver on the World Cup, Pia Sundhage is aware of her soccer.

And Sundhage, now in cost of the Brazil women, was fast to reward Canada after her facet was overwhelmed 2-1 Friday.

“Remember Canada is the gold medallist in the Olympics and so they’re getting higher and higher,” stated the 62-year-old Swede, whose U.S. staff beat Canada 4-3 after additional time in an epic semifinal on the 2012 London Olympics.

The Canadians took their revenge on Sundhage on the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when the Canadians beat Brazil 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the quarterfinal sport completed knotted at 0-0.

Canada prevailed once more Friday because of Adriana Leon’s highlight-reel goal, extending the Canadian women’s win streak to 5 video games. While Canada endured some powerful patches towards the expert Brazilians, it bent however did not break.

“I believe we have now to be taught from a few of the errors right now. But we additionally should put to mattress the actually good possibilities that we had,” stated Canada coach Bev Priestman.

“I assumed it was an excellent soccer match for anyone who was watching,” she added.

WATCH | Leon dazzles:

The two sides meet once more Tuesday in Sao Paulo.

“They look electrical in transition,” Priestman stated of the Brazilians. “We knew that. We ready for that. But I believe what I count on is one other superb sport in Game 2.”

Canadians streaking

The seventh-ranked Canadians have now gained 9 of their final 10 and are 11-2-3 in 2022 with the losses coming to the top-ranked Americans (1-0 in July in the ultimate of the CONCACAF W Championship) and No. 6 Spain (1-0 in February on the Arnold Clark Cup).

Ninth-ranked Brazil had gained 10 in a row, outscoring its opposition 34-1, with six of these victories coming in a Copa America championship run in July. Brazil had not misplaced since a 3-1 determination to Sweden on June 28.

“I’m not proud of the outcome however there have been spells in the sport the place we did fairly properly,” stated Sundhage.

Shelina Zadorsky additionally scored for Canada at Estadio Urbano Caldeira, also referred to as Vila Belmiro — house to Santos FC and, at one time, Pele.

Debinha replied for Brazil, which trailed 2-1 on the break however got here out with function to begin the second half. Priestman despatched on some expertise from her bench to regular the ship.

Canada’s first two objectives got here off well-drilled set items.

Zadorsky rose excessive to move house an Ashley Lawrence cross in the twenty second minute on a nook, after a Christine Sinclair header was pushed off the crossbar by Brazilian ‘keeper Lorena.

It was a fourth goal in 86 appearances for Canada for the Tottenham defender.

“[I’m] actually happy. I believe you may see she’s assured. She’s taking part in loads of minutes at Tottenham and you may really feel and see that on the pitch,” stated Priestman.

‘Dri solely scores some unbelievable objectives’

Leon made it 2-0 with a stunning volley off a Jessie Fleming nook in the twenty ninth minute. Sinclair headed the ball on and Leon swung her left foot, hammering house a low shot for her twenty eighth goal for Canada — and her fifth in her final seven video games.

“Dri solely scores some unbelievable objectives,” Priestman stated of the Manchester United ahead. “She’s obtained that and that is why she’s in the staff. And that is why she’s scoring — as a result of she has that technical skill below stress to only pull the set off and do it properly.

Brazil answered in the thirty third minute with a fantastic thing about a goal from Debinha. After a Canadian turnover, Brazil drove in direction of the Canadian goal and Kerolin chipped the ball past Bianca St-Georges into Debinha’s path. The Brazil star ahead used her torso, maybe with a bit of shoulder, to chest the ball forward after which poked it past goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.

Canada, which downed Brazil 2-1 in the bronze-medal sport on the 2016 Rio Olympics, improved to 9-9-9 towards Brazil since they first met in 1996.

Canada lacking key gamers

As in latest worldwide home windows, Priestman was lacking gamers.

Janine Beckie (Portland), Vanessa Gilles (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Deanne Rose (Reading, England), Allysha Chapman (Houston Dash) and collegiate gamers Simi Awujo and Zoe Burns (USC), Jade Rose (Harvard) and Jayde Riviere (University of Michigan) are all unavailable.

Sinclair, Lawrence and Gabrielle Carle, lacking in the October window that noticed wins over No. 29 Morocco (4-0) and No. 76 Argentina (2-0), had been again in the fold for the Brazil video games. Canada gained a pair of friendlies in September in Australia (1-0 and 2-1).

Sheridan began in goal behind Lawrence, Kadeisha Buchanan, Zadorsky and St-Georges. Fleming and Julia Grosso had been a deep-lying midfield duo behind Nichelle Prince, Sinclair and Leon with Evelyne Viens up entrance.

Jordyn Huitema and Carle got here on for Canada to begin the second half. Desiree Scott, Cloe Lacasse and Sophie Schmidt adopted later in the half.

Amanda Allen, a 17-year-old, gained her first senior cap off the bench, approaching in the 71st minute.

Sheridan wanted therapy in the 72nd minute after a Brazilian stepped on her forearm as the 2 went after the ball.

Huitema went down in the penalty field in the 82nd minute after tangling with Brazil’s Fernanda, however there was no name.

The Forty first-ranked Canadian males had been in motion earlier in the day, rallying to tie No. 85 Bahrain 2-2 in a World Cup warm-up in Manama. Canada was lacking a few of its prime expertise, with European golf equipment nonetheless in motion.