Canadian women wrap up eventful year with lopsided win over South Korea

MURCIA, Spain — The Canadian women wrapped up a tumultuous year with a lopsided 5-1 win over 19th-ranked South Korea on Tuesday, setting the stage for a fresh start under a new coach in 2025.

Marie-Yasmine Alidou, Olivia Smith, Vanessa Gilles and Adriana Leon scored for sixth-ranked Canada, which also benefitted from a Korean own goal. Lee Hyok-yeong scored Korea's goal in the second half, narrowing the deficit to 3-1.

It was job done for Cindy Tye, the under-20 coach put in interim charge of the senior side for an international window that opened Friday with a scoreless draw with No. 13 Iceland also at the Pinatar Arena.

"We set an objective, of course, to finish out the year strong and I'm really happy that they got to do it their way," said Tye.

Tye made seven changes to her lineup with only Alidou, Gilles, Janine Beckie and Ashley Lawrence retaining their places with captain Jessie Fleming and fellow veterans Kailen Sheridan, Gabby Carle and Deanne Rose among those slotting in.

There was a debut for 28-year-old Angel City defender Megan Reid, a California native who qualifies for Canada through her Ottawa-born mother. And Jeneva Hernandez Gray, an 18-year-old midfielder from the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls elite team, and 19-year-old Nyah Rose, the younger sister of Canadian international Jade Rose, came in off the bench for their first senior caps.

"Whenever you get a chance to get a win and then make three debuts in one game, I think that's a win for the program," said Tye.

Canada dominated play, outshooting Korea 22-4 (9-1 in shots on target) and had 60 per cent possession.

The game was played against a backdrop of unrest more than 10,000 kilometres away in South Korea after president Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law Tuesday accusing the opposition of insurgency. Korean lawmakers adopted a resolution demanding that martial law be lifted while protesters clashed with police outside.

The Canadian women finished the year with a 9-0-7 record, with three of those draws turning into penalty shootout losses to Germany (in the Paris Olympics quarterfinal) and the top-ranked United States (in the SheBelieves Cup final and the CONCACAF W Gold Cup semifinal).

Another draw produced a shootout win over Brazil (in the SheBelieves Cup semifinal).

Tuesday's game marked the end of a headline-filled year that saw defending champion Canada caught cheating at the Paris Olympics and Canada Soccer, once again, looking in the mirror.

The governing body is searching for a new women's head coach after shedding Bev Priestman in the wake of the recent independent report into the Olympic drone-spying scandal. Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi are currently serving one-year suspensions from FIFA, with Lombardi having already resigned his Canada Soccer position.

Former Canada coach John Herdman, who did not speak to the author of the report, stepped down as Toronto FC coach last week. While Herdman denied any involvement in spying at past Olympics or World Cups, his resignation was seen as a bid to diffuse an investigation into any past culture of cheating within Canada Soccer.

The Canadian women improved to 8-1-1 all-time against South Korea, unbeaten in their last six meetings.

Canada went ahead in the 22nd minute when Smith's shot from a tight angle deflected in off defender Lim Seon-joo past Korean goalkeeper Kim Kyeong-hee on the short side. Fleming set up the goal with an artful flick ahead to an onrushing Smith after taking a pass from Lawrence.

Alidou made it 2-0 in the 52d minute, hammering a swerving shot just underneath the crossbar from well outside the penalty box in the 52nd minute. It was the second goal in five appearances (and third start) for Alidou, who plays her club football in Portugal for Benfica.

Smith made it 3-0 in the 58th minute, outmuscling two defenders before firing a low shot into the corner of goal from just inside the penalty box. The 20-year-old forward, who has turned heads with Liverpool this season, was dangerous all game in leading the attack in just her fourth start and 13th senior appearance.

Korea pulled a goal back in the 76th minute with Hyok-yeong heading in a rebound off the crossbar from a Korean corner. Gilles made it 4-1 with a header off a free kick two minutes later with Leon scoring her 41st goal for Canada in stoppage time.

It was a fifth straight loss for South Korea, which named Shin Sang-woo as coach in October.

The Canadian starting 11 went into Tuesday's game with a combined 645 caps, compared to 772 caps for the Iceland contest which saw starts for veterans Shelina Zadorsky, Nichelle Prince and Leon, who have 326 caps between them.

Midfielder Emma Regan won her fourth cap in her second start.

Goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx and Jayde Riviere came on to start the second half with Zadorsky and Leon following off the bench. Riviere's appearance was a short one after jarring a knee.

Canada was missing the injured Kadeisha Buchanan, Sydney Collins, Cloe Lacasse, Evelyne Viens, Jade Rose and Quinn. Jordyn Huitema was unavailable due to personal reasons.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2024.