Canada’s women’s soccer team suffered another setback as they were defeated 3-0 by Japan in a friendly match in Nagasaki. The goals came from Momoko Tanikawa, Mina Tanaka, and Aoba Fujino of Japan, who dominated the game at Peace Stadium. Canada’s assistant coach Natalie Henderson acknowledged the team’s challenging phase and emphasized the need to improve and find consistency.
This defeat marked Canada’s fourth consecutive loss, dropping their all-time record against Japan to 4-9-4. The Canadian team, currently standing at 6-5-1 for the year, has struggled to score goals, with their last goal coming over 360 minutes ago. The upcoming match against Japan will be crucial for Canada to reverse their fortunes after recent losses to Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United States.
In the game, Japan outplayed Canada, with Tanikawa and Tanaka scoring in the first half, and Fujino finding the net in the second half. The Canadian defense was repeatedly breached, leading to Japan’s victory. Canadian goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan faced pressure and made crucial errors that Japan capitalized on.
Despite missing key players due to injuries and other reasons, Canada fielded a strong lineup, including players from various leagues. The absence of star forward Olivia Smith was felt, leading to the first senior call-up for D.B. Pridham, who couldn’t participate due to passport issues. The team is hopeful of resolving these issues and regrouping for future matches.
The Canadian women’s team faces a challenging period as they aim to bounce back from their losing streak and regain their winning form in upcoming games.