The Canadian Women’s National Team remained undefeated at World League 1 in Mexico with a 6-0 victory over the host Mexicans Saturday morning.
The game was an important one for both teams as both Canada, ranked no. 22 in the world, and Mexico, ranked no. 28, won their first games and were looking for the upper hand in the tournament.
The Canadians came out of the gates strong, led by veteran forward Thea Culley (Rossland, BC), who scored the game’s first goal in the third minute and followed that up with a second in the nineteenth on a penalty corner to give Canada a quick 2-0 lead.
After a few minutes of sustained pressure, the Canadians struck again, and again it was two quick goals.
First, Karli Johansen (North Vancouver, BC) converted from a Canadian penalty corner in the twenty-third minute and then Tegan Stairs (Kitchener, ON), who scored her first international goal versus Guatemala on Thursday, netted from another penalty corner in the twenty-ninth minute.
Heading into the half, the Canadians held a comfortable 4-0 lead. But they didn’t rest on their laurels as in the second half.
A goal from Brienne Stairs (Kitchener, ON) in the forty-seventh minute added to the lead before Sara McManus (Tsawwassen, BC) scored the game’s final goal in the sixty-sixth minute and Canada went on to the 6-0 victory.
View the complete game sheet here.
Canada, now 2W-0D-1L, will face Peru in their final game of the tournament on Sunday morning at 7:30am PST/10:30am EST. With a win, the Canadians will be guaranteed first place in the tournament and will advance to World League 2.
