Canada looking to establish rhythm against Costa Rica at CONCACAF W Championship

Canada’s women’s soccer team accomplished its goal on Friday: qualifying for next year’s World Cup. Now they want to move on quickly from a game that many players described as frustrating.

The Canadians are getting set to take on Costa Rica on Monday in the final game of the group stage of the CONCACAF W Championship in Monterrey, Mexico.

Canada defeated Panama 1-0 on Friday to secure its spot in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but the game was not without its challenges.

It was a closer match than many would have anticipated, with Panama content to sit in a low block and smother the Canadian attack. The Panamanians also implemented time-wasting tactics, going to ground for extended periods of time before walking off the field, only to return to the pitch moments later. 

Canada coach Bev Priestman said her staff counted 74 stoppages in play during Friday’s game, meaning the team could only play for an average of approximately 80 seconds before there was a whistle. She’s now looking to wipe the slate clean.

“It was one of those games,” she said. “I think the most important thing for us now is we move past that game. It wasn't perfect. It got the job done. But I think we need a game now where those sorts of antics don't disrupt the rhythm.”

“We understand that there will be frustrations, but things that are ultimately out of our control,” added fullback Ashley Lawrence. “So, it's a process to stay focused on the things that we can control, and that's our game, what we bring, our style of play, how we can impose ourselves on opposition.”

Priestman believes Costa Rica will allow Canada to find more rhythm in its play.

“I think we need a team that will suit our strengths, both in defending and in attacking. This game is where we can hopefully get our flow and kick on because I think we need that test now heading into the games in front of us,” she said.

“Women's football is improving every year. Countries are getting better and getting smarter,” forward Adriana Leon added. “It's difficult to play these teams now, especially when they're being a little bit chippy and throwing numbers behind the ball and making things difficult for us.”

Canada and Costa Rica are both currently tied atop Group B with six points and a +7 goal differential. Costa Rica also secured its spot in next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The next goal for both teams is to earn Olympic qualification. The winner of the tournament earns an automatic berth to the 2024 Paris Games, while the second- and third-place teams will advance to a playoff later this fall for the final CONCACAF spot in the Olympics.

The path to the final will likely be easier for the Group B winner, who would presumptively avoid playing the United States, currently first in Group A, in the semifinal.

“It’s our expectation to win the group and that's what we came here for,” forward Deanne Rose told TSN. “We came here to get to the final, so that includes winning the group and putting ourselves in the best position to do that.”

Canada, ranked sixth in the world, has never lost to 37th-ranked Costa Rica in 14 all-time meetings, outscoring the Central American nation by a combined tally of 46-6.

However, the most recent meeting was close. Canada squeaked out a 1-0 win at the 2020 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship. A 72nd-minute goal by Jordyn Huitema secured Canada’s spot in the Tokyo Olympics.

“They're definitely going to put up a fight,” forward Nichelle Prince told TSN. “Obviously, we have played against them multiple times, and it's always a really good game. We're both fighting for something right now – that’s to get to the Olympics.”

For the Canadians to remain undefeated against Costa Rica, they will likely need to find a way to score more than once. The “lack of goals” narrative has stalked this team for several years, and it reared its head again after Canada was held to just a single goal against 57th-ranked Panama – a 64th-minute tally from Julia Grosso.

“That's just part of being a professional at this level,” Leon said. “It's something we've dealt with in the past and we know, for us, it's important to just to stay in the moment and to focus on what we can do as a team to succeed and to put that ball in the net.”

“I think it's not really listening to what people are saying,” Prince added. “We are working on a lot on the field and working on being more dangerous in the attacking third. You look at our forwards or midfielders – we have players that can score goals.”

Canada has also been plagued by slow starts this tournament, at least when it comes to scoring, with just one first half goal in two games (a 27th-minute mark by Christine Sinclair against Trinidad and Tobago). Costa Rica, on the other hand, has scored within the first 20 minutes in both of its games.

“We know that a game is 90 minutes long and starting off a game strong can be presented in many different ways – having the ball, having a high percentage of the ball, creating chances,” Lawrence said. “I think creating those chances, being very threatening in the final third is important for us. So, it's just building off of that going into Costa Rica.”

“I think we've just got to use our strengths,” Priestman added. “You look at the players that we've got – we've got pace in behind. That will be a tired backline for Costa Rica, I’d imagine. So, I think it's just using our strengths, trust our strengths, and doing what this team does well, which is nullifying their threats.”