July 26, (THEWILL) – Canada’s women secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Ireland in the Women’s World Cup, marking their first win in this year’s tournament.
The match, held at Perth Oval in challenging weather conditions, saw forward, Adriana Leon’s accurate toe-poke find the net, combining skill and a touch of fortune. This win for Canada comes after a scoreless draw with Nigeria, and the reigning Olympic champions demonstrated their dominance over Ireland throughout the game.
The opening half witnessed exciting attacking play from both sides, with Ireland’s Katie McCabe taking the lead in the fourth minute with a well-curved corner. It was Ireland’s first-ever World Cup goal, setting an early challenge for Canada. Nevertheless, the Canadian team, motivated by Leon’s performance, managed to equalise just before half-time. A powerful cross from midfielder Julia Grosso deflected off Ireland’s Megan Connolly, resulting in an own goal that levelled the score in the driving rain.
The second half turned into an intense arm-wrestle, with both teams fighting for control. McCabe, showed great determination and created two late opportunities, but both shots missed the target. Canada’s veteran player, Christine Sinclair, had limited chances near the goal after being brought on in the second half. She will have to wait until Canada’s match against co-hosts Australia in Melbourne for a chance to potentially become the first player to score at six World Cups.
Ireland, on the other hand, will play their final match against Nigeria in Brisbane, knowing they cannot progress to the knockout stage after suffering defeats in both their opening matches.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
