Music: {allcanada} CANADA DEFEATS CHINA IN FRIENDLY

Friday, October 1, 2010

{allcanada} CANADA DEFEATS CHINA IN FRIENDLY

TORONTO -- It was just a tune up against a team already eliminated from next summer's World Cup, but Canada's women's soccer team still took their game Thursday night seriously.

Facing a younger, relatively inexperienced China lineup, Melissa Tancredi and Christine Sinclair fired second-half goals as the Canadian won 3-1 at BMO Field.

Canada -- 13th in the FIFA world rankings -- is preparing for its upcoming qualifying run for the World Cup.

"I think that we played very well," Canada coach Carolina Morace said. "We had good possession of the ball. We played one-touch, and found each other in the field. We have to improve, but I saw very good movement."

Canada created a fine scoring chance just two minutes in. Kaylyn Kyle blasted a hard shot from a Diana Matheson corner kick. Chinese defender Liu Hauna was well-placed to head the ball off the goal-line.

A minute later Xu Yuan created a fine running attack for the visitors. Canadian goalie Karina Leblanc had to leap to finger-tip her dipping shot over the crossbar.

In the 17th minute, Sinclair electrified the announced crowd of 5,427 by racing past a Chinese defender before centring to Tancredi, who was unable to finish the chance from in-close.

Sinclair, who was named player of the match, credits Morace with boosting her fitness.

"She's brought a completely different method of training," said Sinclair. "We work a lot on explosiveness."

Matheson opened the scoring for Canada in the 23rd minute, banging the ball home at the near post after a fine short pass from Sinclair.

Midfielder Zhang Na tied the game for 14th-ranked China in unusual, spectacular fashion just before halftime. Her 35-yard shot was badly misplayed by Leblanc, flying through the Canadian goalie's hand -- and legs -- before just barely crossing the goal-line.

After a rather unfocused start to the second half, Canada re-took the lead in the 65th minute. Tancredi came out of nowhere, catching a Chinese defender off-guard, to knock home a deflected pass from Rhian Wilkinson, who had sparked the move with a long run down the right wing.

It was Tancredi's final touch of the match. She was substituted out by Morace immediately after scoring.

Three minutes later, Sinclair powered the Canadians into a 3-1 lead. Sinclair smashed home the ball from 15 yards to cap a lovely three-way running pass play with Josee Belanger and Kara Lang, who had come into the game for Tancredi.

"There was a lot of movement off-the-ball tonight, and that always helps," Sinclair said. "I thought our midfielders did a great job getting forward. As a striker, that's nice, because they're always available for a pass, or to run in behind."

Canada outshot China 14-6 on the night, with nine shots on target to the visitors' four. Sinclair was named Canada's player of the match.

NOTES: BMO Field is also known as Canada's National Soccer Stadium. Tonight marked the first time a Canadian national team has won a game there, since the building opened in 2007.