Trinidad & Tobago upset Canadian women in Venezuela
August 11, 2010
The Canadian women’s national indoor team lost 5-3 to Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday afternoon in their second match of the 2010 Pan American Indoor Championship in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.
Canada’s Kristen Shier opened the game’s scoring in the fourth minute. T&T responded with four unanswered goals between the 13th and 24th minute before Canada got within striking distance with goals from Angela Lancaster and Jessica Buttinger. However the Trinidad and Tobagans would score in the final minute of play to make it a 5-3 final.
Canada will next play Uruguay Friday morning in their final game of pool play.
The Indoor Pan Am Championships serve as the continental qualifier to the 2011 Indoor World Cup.
Game Summary:
The Canadians knew that this match would help their chances of getting into the semi-finals today but were unfortunate to come short of 3 points today. The Trinidad & Tobago team came out hard with a high press in the opening minutes. After battling hard, a quick break out allowed Canada a circle entry and their first penalty corner. Kri Shier calmly put the ball on net but Trinidad goalkeeper Sarayahu Plaza made the save. Quick to pick up her rebound, Shier was able to fire the ball high and into the mesh, putting Canada in the lead 1-0. Trinidad continued their pressure enough to force some crucial turnovers back to back and earned two free play goals in the 13th and 14th minute by forwards Gayle Ann Nieves and Blair Wynne. Close the end of the first half, captain Stacey Siu Butt converted on a penalty corner low into the goal.
The young Canadian side regrouped over half time but were still not managing the Trinidad pressure well as Yesenia Luces was lucky to earn a goal that was passed a crossed the circle but deflected in the net by a defender to put her team up 4-1. Desperately trying to stay in the game, Canadian head coach, Cassius Mendonca, called a time-out. Minutes later Canada was climbing the score board and on a great early rush down the right side Angela Lancaster was able to capitalize on a loose ball after some hard work by Kri Shier deep in the right corner. Two minutes later, Ali Lee put Kate Gillis on a break down the left side and some quick stick work allowed Gillis to find a waiting Jess Buttinger to put Canada back in the game only down by one goal. On one last attempt to tie the game up, goal keeper and captain Azelia Liu was pulled to put a sixth player on the court. Unfortunately in the last minute of the game, a Canadian turnover allowed for a 3 on 2 and an empty net for Blair Wynne to pick up her second goal of the match and seal the 5-3 win for Trinidad & Tobago.
The Canadians were disheartened and know they have put themselves in to a difficult position to still make the semi-finals; however, they are looking to regroup and be prepared to take on Uruguay.
Starters: A. Liu, A. Lee, K. Shier, K. Gillis, A. Woodcroft, A. Lancaster
