Photo Courtesy: Canada Soccer
Canada 3-4 Denmark: Defensive Errors Spoil Thanksgiving Clash
By Canada’s second of two friendly matches against Denmark saw the visitors take away the win in Toronto.
While DB Pridham’s first senior international goal handed the hosts an early lead, three Danish goals in the span of nine minutes tilted things in favour of the visitors. Second-half efforts from Evelyne Viens and Olivia Smith kept Canada in the contest, though Les Rouges couldn’t mount a comeback.
Following Friday’s 1-1 draw with Denmark in Montreal, head coach Casey Stoney handed a start to Olivia Smith, while NSL forwards DB Pridham and Kaylee Hunter were also named to the starting eleven.
The domestic duo made an immediate impact, with AFC Toronto youngster Kaylee Hunter heading the ball into the middle of the box, with Pridham gaining possession, turning, and firing home the match’s go-ahead goal:
The hosts would look to make it two, calling Danish shotstopper Freja Thisgaard into action. She forced an effort from Smith onto the post, before smothering a follow-up from Janine Sonis.
Denmark would then draw level with an incredible strike just beyond the halfway line, with Olivia Holdt capitalizing on a loose ball before catching Kailen Sheridan off her line. The Tottenham winger lofted in a long-range missile that soared into the back of the net, securing an equalizer in some style:
A defensive disaster would follow for Canada just minutes later as the hosts failed to clear their box: Sofie Bredgaard pinged a shot off the crossbar, quickly regaining possession and passing it to Pernille Harder in the middle of Canada’s box. Harder, who scored once against Canada in Montreal, made sure she had notched one in Toronto, too:
Canada’s defensive unravelling continued as Ashley Lawrence received the ball under pressure minutes later, with her one-touch pass towards Jade Rose being quickly intercepted. The Danes worked the ball in to an unmarked Olivia Holdt, who was free to tee up a brace to score Denmark’s third goal in ten minutes:
At half-time, head coach Casey Stoney dipped into her bench in an effort to overturn the result. On come Evelyne Viens and Shelina Zadorsky, with the former working her way into the box and – through a fairly fortuitous bounce – pulling one back for Canada just four minutes into the second half:
Denmark would answer back just after the hour-mark, however, with a quick counter seeing forward Janni Thomsen close in on the box and curl a finely-placed finish beyond Sheridan to restore the visitor’s two-goal cushion.
Arsenal forward Olivia Smith would pull one back for Les Rouges with twenty minutes to go, firing a shot from outside of the box that managed to slip through the mitts of Thisgaard and reduce the goal deficit to one:
Canada brought on Allysha Chapman just before the final whistle, handing the veteran defender her 100th and final international appearance. Chapman made her international debut 12 years ago, helping Canada secure Olympic bronze in Rio and the iconic gold in Tokyo, featuring in no less than three Women’s World Cups.
Unfortunately for Canada, the hosts were unable to muster up an equalizer against tough competition, with Denmark seeing out a 4-3 away win in Toronto following the 1-1 draw in Montreal.
With Canada’s October international window now complete, Les Rouges will look towards November’s Concacaf W Championship. Canada will head down to Mansfield, Texas for a quarter-final clash against Panama on November 28, with the winner earning a berth to the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
