For Canada there were a lot of dropped heads and tears at the final whistle, as the tournament came to an end for the reigning Olympic champions. It brings to an end the international career of Sophie Schmidt, as well as likely the final World Cup appearance of Christine Sinclair’s career. Bev Priestman seemed to be delivering a passionate speech in a huddle after the final whistle, but whatever was said was too little, too late.
RECAP: Canada exit 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup with heavy 4-0 defeat to Australia
Final Score: Canada 0-4 Australia
Goalscorers: Raso 9′ + 39′, Fowler 58′, Catley 90+4′ (PK)
2023 Women’s World Cup
Group B Matchday 3
Canada were eliminated from the Women’s World Cup at the Group Stage for the first time since 2011 on Monday, knocked out with a 4-0 loss to the co-hosts Australia in their third and final match Down Under.
After a back-and-forth beginning to the match, in which Canada started with a lot more urgency than they did in their past two matches to match the intensity of their opponents, it was the home side that took the lead in the ninth minute.
Steph Catley charged down the left side of the pitch before playing the ball into the penalty area, where it bounced in front of a lunging Vanessa Gilles. It fell to Hayley Raso, who took a touch and fired a low shot back across goal, beating Kailen Sheridan to give Australia the early lead. The goal was initially called back for an offside on the pass that played Catley in behind the Canadian backline, but after a quick check from the Video Assistant Referee, the goal was awarded.
Catley and Rasa nearly combined for a second goal a few minutes later, as the Australian captain found her teammate in the box again, but Raso’s low shot was denied by an impressive, and important, diving stop from Sheridan.
Canada were struggling to break out of their own half against a Matildas side that was pressing them really high up the pitch, and and when they were finding opportunities to get in behind, they weren’t taking advantage of them. There were a lot of sideways and backwards passes instead of moving up the pitch. Canada had three shots in the opening 45 minutes, but none of them on target, and their best scoring opportunity a header from Jordyn Huitema that went high and wide.
Australia put the ball into the back of the net again in the 34th minute, as Mary Fowler fired the ball into the back of the net from close range after Canada failed to clear their lines. After a save from Sheridan, Kadeisha Buchanan was defending on the line, but Fowler fired the ball into the roof of the goal. The VAR got involved again, and this time ruled out the goal, saying that Ellie Carpenter was marginally offside as the ball was shot.
That should have been a lifeline for Canada, but the Matildas were persistent, and ended up scoring a few minutes later to double the lead, and this time it counted. After a corner from Kyra Cooney-Cross was whipped into the penalty area, the ball fell to Raso a few yards out, and she made no mistake, putting the ball into the back of the net for her second goal of the game. Sheridan was unable to take control of her box, and none of the defenders cleared the ball away, allowing Australia to double their advantage.
It was 2-0 going into the break, leaving Canada with a steep uphill battle — needing at least a draw to move on to the next round. Bev Priestman made four bold substitutions at halftime, replacing Christine Sinclair, Jordyn Huitema, Julia Grosso, and Jayde Riviere with Cloé Lacasse, Deanne Rose, Sophie Schmidt and Allysha Chapman to try and spark some life into her side.
Canada didn’t start the second half particularly well, however, and in the 58th minute things went from bad to worse. Fowler was left alone in the penalty area as one of many waves of Australian attacks came up the pitch, wide open after drifting into the box. She redirected a low pass into the bottom right corner, off the inside of the post to make it 3-0 and essentially put the game to bed.
It took until the 70th minute for Canada’s first shot on target, a low shot from the substitute Rose that was turned away by Mackenzie Arnold. In the 89th minute, Evelyne Viens also tested Arnold from distance with a hard strike toward the top right corner, but the Australian goalkeeper was able to push the ball out for a corner. Nothing would come from the ensuing set piece, as the clock continued to wind down.
A late penalty from Steph Catley put the icing on the cake for the Aussies as they made it 4-0 in stoppage time. It was the final nail in the coffin, kicking off the celebrations in Melbourne. The Matildas confirmed that they had won Group B and moved onto the next round at their home World Cup. It’s the first time they have won their group at the Women’s World Cup, and deservedly so after a dominant victory.
