Canada’s women’s soccer team less than an hour ago lost an agonizing 4-3 extra time decision to the number one ranked Americans in the third minute of extra time.
Canadian players, staff
The last minute loss came after the Canadians had taken a one goal lead three times in the game only to see the U.S. come back each time and tie it – the third time after two very perplexing decisions by the Norwegian referee Christina Pederson who first called Erin McLeod for time wasting (the correct call but one that is almost never called) and then a penalty for a handball from the resulting free kick.
The result – a game Canada was within minutes of winning was headed to extra time and a familiar feeling of dread crept over me as I watched a team that has fallen short of many objectives over the years sometimes because of tactics, sometimes fitness and perhaps more often many would say mental toughness.
In year’s past I suspect the U.S. would have scored once or twice in extra time and cruised to the win but not this time. This Canadian team show a toughness and depth of all kinds that we have not seen in the past and battled the heavily favoured Americans to a near stand still only to lose in the final moments.