Best game of the tournament this morning, a crackling, back-and-forth elimination game between Commonwealth partners Canada and Australia – that saw the last spot in the quarterfinals go back and forth four times before the Matildas came out on top with a strike in the second minute of stoppage time.
Australia held the edge going in, based on goal differential, but Canada got the goal they needed 31 seconds into the game, on a lovely little lob shot from right outside the corner of the box. But the Aussies had most of the possession, and most of the scoring chances, and they got the equalizer early in the second half, through the work of supersub Lisa De Vanna, who came in at halftime. A desperate Canada appeared to have the game won when Christine Sinclair headed one home with just five minutes left, only to see De Vanna again navigate her way through traffic in the penalty area, and pick out Cheryl Salisbury for the game winner, practically at the last gasp.
In the other games, Norway trounced Ghana, 7-2, to win Group C, China finally wore down the overmatched New Zealand Ferns, 2-0, and Brazil thoroughly dominated Denmark to preserve the tournament’s only perfect record. And so the quarterfinal schedule is set:
Saturday, 4am: Germany-North Korea
Saturday, 7am: USA-England
Sunday, 4am: Norway-China
Sunday, 7am: Brazil-Australia
The Matildas’ speed, especially De Vanna and Sarah Walsh, caused problems for Canada all game long; they’ll be a very interesting matchup with Brazil, who are pretty pacey themselves. Put that down as the best game of the quarterfinals.
This article appears in September 14 • 2007.