Analysis: Canada And Its First Win Under Casey Stoney
By It was not a blockbuster affair on Saturday morning, but Canada did manage to get the job done against a seemingly blood-thirsty Mexico side by defeating them 2-0.
Vanessa Gilles and Adriana Leon were the scorers as the former celebrated her 50th international cap with her goal.
A Choppy – And Chopping – First Half
Casey Stoney surely anticipated that Mexico were going to be a very physical side given the two team’s history over the years when she was preparing for this match. But even she must have been surprised when Mexico came out the gates with fangs bared.
The game got the tone set when Olivia Smith was nearly chopped in half with a diving tackle in the opening minutes, and it felt like it never really got better for Canada as Mexico kept battering and bruising the Canadians throughout the game. To their credit, Mexico’s high press and determination stifled Canada’s ability to set a rhythm and play to their strengths, but even neutrals could recognize the Mexicans were going over board. Casey Stoney revealed after the match that she even had to talk to the fourth official to discuss player safety due to Mexico’s wanton actions.
The referee did manage to get somewhat of a hold on the match – albeit a bit too late for Stoney’s taste – when she sent off Annia Mejia five minutes before half time. Mejia arguably should have been sent off earlier for a shoulder charge challenge minutes before, but got her marching orders after a rash scissor kick on Adriana Leon.
Canada made it to half-time bruised but not beaten, with thankfully no major injuries to nurse. At least that battering looked to have provided the motivation needed for them to kick on in the second-half against a vicious rival.
A Good Result, But Plenty to Work On
The second half saw Vanessa Gilles get an early goal on her 50th cap to put Canada ahead, before Adriana Leon sealed the deal just a couple minutes before the end thanks to some clever play from Evelyne Viens. The 2-0 result will look good on paper for Canada as they extended their regulation unbeaten streak to 21 games, but those watching will have been somewhat disappointed with some of the play.
Casey Stoney mentioned after the match that she advised the team to look after the ball more in the second half, especially with the extra player advantage. However, it seemed that instruction went out the window after Gilles goal, with Canada’s decision making and final ball not being anywhere near good enough to fully capitalize on their advantage.
It wasn’t really until just before Leon’s goal that we saw Canada finally settling the game down with some patient passing and good choices. Even with the defending, while the clean sheet will be rightly applauded, the defense did get stretched various time by Mexico. The defense’s usual sharpness in getting back into their structure in those crucial transitional moments was uncharacteristically lacking in periods of the match, and gave Mexico confidence they could equalize despite their major disadvantage.
In fact, just before Leon’s goal, Mexico had a golden opportunity that was thankfully spurned by El Tri to avoid that late-stage disappointment for Canada. Had that gone in, the match could have taken a very different tone both during and after its conclusion. In the end, the result will please Stoney but there will be many aspects that the former English defender will want to improve on as her reign continues
Positives From Returning Players
Despite not firing on all cylinders, Canada did see some positives from the return of some of their usual starters. Jessie Fleming’s return once again highlighted why she’s usually one of the first players on the team sheet for Canada. Her vision and hard-work in the midfield were crucial for the team when they did get to play with the ball and weren’t getting chopped down by Mexican axes. She was a perennial figure in that midfield, and even if she was unable to keep control of the pace of the game, her determination and willingness were highlights for Canada throughout the game.
Olivia Smith was also lively in this one. The Liverpool forward was repeatedly the driving force of Canada’s attack when she was on, running at Mexico’s defense and trying to carve out chances for her team. Unfortunately for her, Mexico decided to deal with her by repeatedly slicing her down, prompting Stoney to take her off early despite her original plan to keep her for the full 90 minutes. Nevertheless, Smith looks more and more like one of Canada’s most dangerous attackers every time she dons the shirt.
Flashback: Canada Earns Draw In Casey Stoney’s First Match In Charge
Lastly, Vanessa Gilles deserves her plaudits, even though she’s not been short on them for the last calender year. The 2024 Women’s Player of the Year showed exactly why she deserved that award. Even though it was not her very best game, she was the heartbeat of that defense and always put her body on the line to ensure Mexico would not get a clear shot on goal. But it wasn’t just in her defending that she impressed – it was on her goal as well. The 28-year-old had only a split second to react when Jordyn Huitema headed down a cross from the corner, but the quick-minded Gilles managed to flick that pass on and into the back of the next to give her yet another goal to celebrate for the national team.
Overall, while it was not a staple performance, Casey Stoney will be pleased to see that many of the players that Canada relied on previously will still be assets for her to lean on in her new era.
Header Image Photo Credit: Canada Soccer
