One month after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Canadian women’s national soccer team will play its first match since being eliminated in the group stage.
On Friday, Bev Priestman’s squad will attempt to book its spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the first of two all-or-nothing matches against Jamaica. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT at Jamaica National Stadium in Kingston, before heading to Toronto for the return leg Tuesday at BMO Field.
With an Olympic berth on the line, there’s a lot at stake in this two-match series.
What’s at stake and how to qualify
Canada, the reigning Olympic champion, has earned a medal in the last three tournaments. Considering the disappointing World Cup run, this is a chance for the Canadians to redeem themselves on the global stage.
The team that scores the most combined goals will advance, while the loser will not go to Paris. That said, a team doesn’t have to win both games to be triumphant. If both teams score the same number of goals, the Olympic spot will go to the squad that scored the most goals as the visitors. If the away goals are even at the end of the second leg, extra time will be played, and if necessary, penalty kicks.
In Paris, the women’s soccer competition will feature 12 teams. Two spots are allocated to CONCACAF (which covers the Caribbean and North and Central America). The first spot went to the winner of the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship, which was the United States after the Americans defeated Canada 1-0 in the final. The second ticket goes to either the tournament’s runner-up (Canada) or the third-place finisher (Jamaica). In previous Olympic Games, there was a dedicated qualification tournament, so this time around is quite different.
To get to the 2022 CONCACAF final, Canada beat Jamaica 3-0. While some think this gives Canada an advantage, Jamaica arguably looked stronger at the World Cup. As of now, it could be anyone’s game.
Canada needs to be clinical
The Canadians are no stranger to the Olympic Games. They were two-time bronze medalists in 2012 and 2016, and champions in 2021. In CONCACAF, Les Rouges are also one of the teams to beat. Canada has won all nine of its games against Jamaica.
However, this summer’s World Cup changed things. Despite winning a hard-fought match over the Republic of Ireland, a 0-0 draw with Nigeria and a 4-0 loss to Australia eliminated Canada. Questions arose about Canada’s ability to score.
For years, Christine Sinclair was relied upon to find the net. While the 40-year-old is undeniably prolific and important, she’s perhaps not the player she once was. So, amidst this time of transition, Canada needs to determine who will become the attacking threat. Julia Grosso, Jordyn Huitema, Adriana Leon or Cloé Lacasse come to mind, but as of now it’s unclear who will take the lead.
The World Cup also taught us that Canada desperately missed veteran Janine Beckie, who typically is a source of attacking magic. The Portland Thorns forward has been out with an ACL tear since March. Additionally, defender Jayde Riviere and forward Deanne Rose will also be out due to injury. Annabelle Chukwu, 16, has been promoted to the senior team for the first time as a replacement.
Jamaica should not be underestimated
Despite Canada’s track record against the Reggae Girlz, the result is far from certain. Lorne Donaldson’s side impressed this summer when it drew with heavy hitters France and Brazil, and recorded its first World Cup win over Panama. Although the Jamaicans were ranked 43rd going into the World Cup, the Caribbean side advanced to the round of 16 before being ousted by Colombia.
Mentally, this Jamaican side is locked in. The team did not succumb to lack of support, planning or resources ahead of the World Cup, and even started a GoFundMe to fund its trip to the world’s stage. Undeterred by these hurdles, the players demonstrated solidarity, strength and positivity — which surely led to their successful campaign. They’re currently on a high, which will be one of their greatest strengths.
On the pitch, the Jamaican backline — led by the Swaby sisters, Allyson and Chantelle — is tight knit. In the World Cup, both Brazil and France struggled to test the Jamaican keeper due to the team's organized defence and ability to read their opponents. If the Canadians want to have a shot at advancing, they’ll have to find a way to pick apart Jamaica’s fortress.
Adding to the danger is skipper Khadija “Bunny” Shaw. The 26-year-old is Jamaica’s all-time top goal-scorer, and earned the silver boot after scoring 20 goals for Manchester City in last season’s WSL campaign.
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