This article is a part of the Guardian’s Women’s World Cup 2023 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between one of the crucial absolute best media organizations from the 32 nations who certified. theguardian.com is working previews from two nations on a daily basis within the run-up to the match kicking off on 20 July.
Overview
As the reigning Olympic champions, Canada enters the Women’s World Cup this summer time with a goal on their backs.
Canada performs a method of soccer that prioritizes protecting. Bev Priestman’s aspect is aware of that they have got high quality in assault, however with a number of world-class defenders and goalkeepers of their squad, they consider that they have got the power to stay blank sheets towards any crew on this planet. When a crew does that, they are going to all the time have an opportunity to win. That was once the case on the Olympics, and be expecting it to be the similar mindset in Australia and New Zealand.
Priestman’s crew certified for the World Cup final summer time by means of successful Group B on the Concacaf W Championship in Mexico, later falling to the United States within the last. They had been then drawn into Group B for the World Cup, with the hosts Australia, Republic of Ireland and Nigeria. Some have recommended it’s the “group of death”, with each and every crew in a position to beating each and every different.
Canada will take some convenience from the truth that they performed Nigeria and Australia two times in friendlies in 2022, and had been unbeaten around the 4 video games. They received each video games in Australia in September, and received one and drew one towards Nigeria on Canadian soil final April. Defender Kadeisha Buchanan not too long ago stated of Priestman: “I’m no longer announcing that she knew that we are gonna draw Nigeria and Australia, however it is nice that she deliberate that out. I feel she’s simply very detailed in the best way she plans.”
Just as Argentina did for Lionel Messi at last year’s men’s World Cup, Canada will be putting everything into this tournament to get some long-time Canadian greats – midfielders Sophie Schmidt and Desiree Scott plus 40-year-old forward Christine Sinclair – the crown jewel in what have been some incredible careers. This tournament and next year’s Paris Olympics could be a changing of the guard for this squad, as young players push the veterans for playing time, at what could be the final major tournaments for several players. In the case of Schmidt, she has already announced that she will retire from international duty following the World Cup.
They’ll worry about the future later, however. The focus in the short term is lifting the World Cup trophy at Stadium Australia on 20 August. As defender Vanessa Gilles said last month: “We surely have a tradition and an atmosphere that is conducive to crew chemistry, to successful, to being truthful with each and every different, which no longer many nationwide groups can beat.”