Canada beats Jamaica to qualify for Paris 2024
Canada’s women’s soccer team has booked its ticket to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris after defeating Jamaica 2-1 on Tuesday. The Canucks held a two-goal advantage from the first leg of the Olympic play-in series, making it a tough task for the Reggae Girlz to advance. Canada sealed the deal with a 4-1 aggregate win, thanks to goals from Cloe Lacasse and Jordyn Huitema. Drew Spence scored a consolation goal for Jamaica in the first half.
Canada is the fifth team to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, joining hosts France, the United States, Brazil, and Colombia. The Canadians will be aiming to defend their gold medal that they won at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, when they beat Sweden on penalties in the final.
Canada rebounds from World Cup disappointment
The Olympic qualification is a welcome boost for Canada, who had a disappointing run at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The Canucks were expected to contend for the title after their Olympic triumph, but they crashed out in the group stage after losing to Germany and Nigeria. They only managed to win one game, against Thailand, and finished third in their group.
Canada’s coach Bev Priestman said that the team was motivated to make up for their World Cup failure and get back to the Olympics. “We knew we had to bounce back from what happened in Australia. We had a lot of hurt and anger, but we also had a lot of belief and determination. We wanted to show that we are still one of the best teams in the world and that we can compete for medals,” she said.
Priestman also praised her players for their resilience and character, especially after dealing with federation issues and labor disputes before and during the World Cup. “The players have been through a lot, but they never gave up on their dream. They fought for their rights, they fought for each other, and they fought for their country. They deserve this moment and I’m so proud of them,” she said.
Canada prepares for new challenges ahead
Canada will now look forward to participating in the inaugural Women’s Nations League, a new biennial competition organized by UEFA that provides a trophy and a format for European teams to qualify for major tournaments. Canada is one of four non-European teams invited to join the 41 European nations in the tournament, along with the United States, Brazil, and Australia.
The Nations League is divided into three leagues, based on UEFA coefficient rankings. Canada is placed in League A, along with 15 other top-ranked teams. They are drawn in Group 3, along with England, Norway, and Iceland. The group phase will run from September 2023 to February 2024, with each team playing each other home and away. The four group winners will advance to the semi-finals, third-place match, and final, while the rest will play for position and promotion/relegation.
Canada will face some tough opponents in their group, especially England, who are the reigning World Cup champions. The Canucks will also have to adjust to different playing styles and conditions in Europe, as well as cope with a busy schedule that includes the Concacaf W Gold Cup in June 2024.
Priestman said that the Nations League is a great opportunity for Canada to test themselves against some of the best teams in the world and prepare for the Olympics. “We are excited to be part of this new competition. It’s a chance for us to grow as a team and challenge ourselves against different styles of play. It’s also a chance for us to showcase our talent and our brand of soccer to a wider audience,” she said.
Priestman added that Canada’s ultimate goal is to defend their Olympic gold medal in Paris and make history again. “We know that it won’t be easy, but we have proven that we can beat anyone on our day. We have a lot of quality and experience in our squad, but we also have some young players who are hungry and eager to make an impact. We have a great mix of talent and we have a great spirit. We are ready to go for gold again,” she said.
