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MONTERREY, Mexico — It wasn’t pretty, Canada did its homework Friday by beating a grumpy Panamanian team 1-0 in the CONCACAF W Championship to qualify for the 2023 World Cup.
Costa Rica’s 4-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago on the previous day meant that defeating Panama would secure the Canadian women’s qualification with one organizing match to play in the eight-team tournament.
Panama, number 57, did not make it easy for Canada, 6th in the standings, on a windy night at the University Stadium.
Canada ruled the game with Panama hunting to thwart, relying on fouls to disrupt the action, delaying the resulting loose kicks by not taking flight of the ball.
Panamanian players also fell with the training of the team’s coaches, moving around the area regularly.
“It’s a wonderful learning experience,” canada coach Bev Priestman said. “Was it enough? Everyone knows that. But we won. . . and we move on. “
Friday’s result secured the Canadian Olympic champion (2-0-0) a spot between the two most sensitive in Group B and a spot in the semi-finals, competing at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The 37 Costa Rica (2-0-0) qualified in the group of Canada.
The third-placed team in the organization advances to the World Cup Intercontinental Qualifiers.
Canada’s break came in the 64th minute Julia Grosso, who opened her senior account with two goals on the bench in Tuesday’s 6-0 win over no. 76 Trinidad and Tobago.
A Panamanian defender tried to cross a Jessie Fleming cross to see the ball go straight to Grosso.
The 21-year-old Juventus midfielder moved the ball to escape a defender and pushed it home.
“Give credit to Julia. He stepped forward and put the ball in the net,” Priestman said.
Canada had a consistent 69 with possession of the ball and outscored Panama 12-4 (7-2 on goal). Panama opted for a low block, chaining the defenders on the field.
Priestman credited Panama for its negative and time-consuming tactics: “I mean it worked. “
The Canadian coach also saw it as a sign of respect for her team. Priestman’s message at halftime one of disappointment.
“I think the functionality of the first half, we weren’t smart enough,” he said.
“Our criteria has gone down and I think the players would agree with that. But at this moment, half, I’m satisfied with the way they got here, to get back to our level. “
The Canadians conclude Monday’s group game against Costa Rica, who will dominate Group B.
This means avoiding the top-ranked United States, which also qualified for the World Cup, in the semi-finals.
The CONCACAF tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympic Games.
Only the CONCACAF winner is guaranteed an Olympic spot, as well as a price ticket to the first CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will be held in 2024.
The finalist and third will face off in a CONCACAF Olympic play-in series, scheduled for September 2023, and the winner will also qualify for the Paris Olympics and the CONCACAF W Gold Cup.
The World Cup has 32 teams, just 12 away at the Olympics.
Canada qualified for seven of the last 8 World Cups, without the inaugural 1991 occasion in China when the United States was the only CONCACAF representative in the 12-country organization at the time.
Canada, which hosted the event in 2015, had its role in 2003 when it finished fourth.
After being at the 53,500-seat BBVA Stadium, the home of CF Monterrey, in the suburbs of Guadalupe on Tuesday, Canada moved to the Universitario stadium on Friday.
Known as El Volcán, Monterrey’s 41,600-seat stadium is home to the UANL Tigers.
Priestman made five adjustments to his lineup, incorporating goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo, Grosso, Shelina Zadorsky, Adriana Leon and Nichelle Prince. Janine Beckie went from front to back.
Captain Christine Sinclair, who scored her 190th world record goal in the tournament’s first game, made her 313th appearance for Canada, and her 306th start.
Canada had 71% ownership of the ball in a goalless first half, but that didn’t translate into scoring opportunities on the edge.
The Canadians had a 6-2 lead in shots (2-1 on goal), while Panama defended in numbers and tried to slow down the game they could.
Canada came close in the 19th minute when Leon’s head exploded high. Two minutes later, Panamanian captain Laurie Batista saw her long-range shot pass just over the Canadian crossbar.
Sandwiched between two Panamanian defenders, Prince fired just inside the penalty spot in the 27th minute, but the possible penalty overturned with an offside flag.
The game stopped the video review, but none of it came out.
D’Angelo made his first save in the 38th minute, a comfortable save from a Marta Cox free-kick outside the penalty area.
At the other end, Prince drove the ball right next to the full-back in the 42nd minute after Panama failed to get past a loose shot.
Priestman sent Cloe Lacasse and fullback Jayde Rivière into the position of Sinclair and Prince at halftime.
And Leon forced Yenith Bailey to save in acrobatic dive in the minute.
Jordyn Huitema and Quinn, who have only one name, replaced Canada at 57.
Panamanian Rosario Vargas came close with a distant shot in the 80th that went just above the crossbar.
The Canadians have never lost to Panama, beating the 57th-placed team 13-0 in their last two meetings.
Sinclair scored twice last time Canada Panama: a 7-0 victory in October 2018 at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship that gave Canada a spot at the 2019 World Cup in France.
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This report from The Canadian Press first published on July 8, 2022