Canada vs. Sweden live score, updates, highlights from Olympic women's soccer gold medal match - ... - 11 minutes read




Canada won its first women's soccer gold medal and its first major international soccer tournament, defeating favorite Sweden in a dramatic penalty-kick shootout to claim the 2021 Tokyo Olympics gold medal. It was the first-ever PK shootout in a women's Olympic soccer gold medal match.

Canada goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe came up huge once again with two saves in the shootout, setting up 20-year-old Julia Grosso, who scored the final spot kick that clinched it for Canada, 3-2. It was the second shootout win by Canada in the tournament after it knocked out Brazil in the quarterfinals on PKs following a 0-0 draw.

Sweden captain Caroline Seger had the chance to win the gold medal for Sweden in the fifth round of penalty kicks, but she skied it over the bar to give Canada life.

Penalties were necessary after a 1-1 draw persisted through extra time. Stina Blackstenius finished off a cross in the first half to give Sweden the lead, and Canada tied it after Christine Sinclair drew a penalty kick and Jessie Fleming coolly converted in the second half.

Canada's standout defenders helped it survive several scares throughout the match, none more threatening than a clearance off the goal line with three minutes left in extra time. Vanessa Gilles, Kadeisha Buchanan, Desiree Scott and Ashley Lawrence all came up with key defensive interventions throughout the match in front of goalkeeper Labbe, who came up with a few stops of her own during the 120 minutes.

It was a memorable tournament for the Canadian women, who finished undefeated (3-0-3) and put on a defensive clinic, only allowing four goals in six matches. Manager Bev Priestman, who made an impact with key tactical and personnel changes over the course of the two weeks, deserves credit for injecting belief into the squad and expertly managing the team through a grueling tournament schedule that saw them get past Brazil, the United States and Sweden to win gold.

Canada soccer legend Christine Sinclair, who has scored more international goals than any man or woman, wins her first gold at the age of 38. She led the Canadian women to two consecutive soccer bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Rd. 6 — Sweden: Andersson's shot is saved by Labbe!!! (SWE 2, CAN 2)

Rd. 5 — Canada: Deanne Rose scores into the top corner! (SWE 2, CAN 2)

Rd. 5 — Sweden: With a chance to win it, Seger sends it over the bar!!! (SWE 2, CAN 1)

Rd. 3 — Canada: Vanessa Gilles off the crossbar (SWE 2, CAN 1)

Rd. 2 — Canada: Lawrence's shot is saved by Lindahl (SWE 1, CAN 1)

Rd. 1 — Sweden: Kosovare Asllani off the right post!! (SWE 0, CAN 0)

122nd min.: And we're heading to penalty kicks!!! Canada has already won a PK shootout against Brazil in the quarterfinals. Can they do it again? This is the first time this tournament that Sweden has been held to a draw.

121st min.: SUB - And now it's Canada making a sub ahead of penalty kicks: Desiree Scott, who was wearing the captain's armband after Sinclair departed, departs with Shelina Zadorsky coming into the match.

120th min.: SUB - Emma Kullberg comes in for Amanda Ilstedt on defense for Sweden. Surely, a sub with penalty kicks in mind.

119th min.: Sweden's Hurtig with another header that finishes wide. That was a good look.

117th min.: Amazing sequence on the Canada goal line and the Canadians somehow keep the ball out! It looked like it was going to be a Sweden goal, but the ball is cleared! Another close call for Canada.

116th min.: The Swedes are shouting for a penalty kick for a hand ball by Kadeisha Buchanan in the box. No call from the ref and the VAR doesn't call for a video check. The ref can't possibly decide the game by awarding a penalty kick this late. Four minutes until we go to a shootout!

112th min.: After another great defensive play by Vanessa Gilles in the box, Deanne Rose gets free down the right and crosses to Jordyn Huitema whose powerful header is just wide. The ball was slightly behind her, but Huitema made the most of it.

110th min.: Another corner kick for Sweden and Lina Hurting heads it down to the far post and barely misses the target. The Swedes were up off the bench. They thought it was a sure goal. Incredible stat: Still no shots on goal for Sweden since the first half!

108th min.: Dangerous corner kick for Sweden, but Canada clears. Good start to the second extra time period by Sweden.

106th min.: We resume play after a short break. There are two subs on for Sweden: Rolfo and Blackstenius are out of the match, Schough and Anvegard are in.

105th min.: And that's the end of the first extra time period. Penalty kicks are closer.

104th min.: Yellow card for Kosovare Asllani, who clips Kadeisha Buchanan — another Canadian having a fantastic gold-medal match.

103rd min.: Scare for Canada! Andersson from left back with a searing left-footed shot that just misses the top of the crossbar. That's how close that came to hitting the frame.

97th min.: And Sweden responds with a shot by Rolfo which is deflected for a corner. Canada is lucky that didn't deflect into the goal. Nothing comes of the corner.

95th min.: Canada whipping crosses left and right, and all the buzzing around the Sweden box leads to a Julia Grosso shot that the 'keeper has to save.

93rd min.: SUB - Jayde Riviere comes in for Allysha Chapman. Riviere will play right back and the amazing Ashley Lawrence goes to left back.

93rd min.: Ashley Lawrence is just tremendous. She leads a counterattack and feeds Deanne Rose who can't pull her shot on target as it finishes wide.

91st min.: We're underway in extra time. Guaranteed 30 minutes of soccer ahead.

94th min.: And we're heading to extra time! Canada seems to have more energy and fight in them, while Sweden has faded with every passing minute.

94th min.: Canada pushing to score a late winner. Ashley Lawrence with a great run and cross into the box, but no one was there to latch onto it. And then Fleming fires a shot over the bar.

90th min.: Four minutes of stoppage time before we head to the extra session.

89th min.: Buchanan clears in front of an empty net! Asllani has a point-blank shot on goal to win it and can't beat Buchanan. That was a close call for Canada.

85th min.: SUB - What a moment. Christine Sinclair, likely playing her last Olympics, comes out of the gold medal match with Jordyn Huitema replacing her.

80th min.: Great defensive play by Desiree Scott in the box! She chases Asllani and her sliding block prevents a chance but leads to a corner that's punched out by Canada's keeper Stephanie Labbe.

79th min.: Big chance for Sweden. Rolfo with a good look inside the box, but she puts it wide.

75th min.: SUBS - Triple sub for Sweden. Andersson, Bennison and Hurtig come in for Eriksson, Angeldal and Jakobsson.

70th min.: Canada with the momentum. On the corner kick, Sinclair lays it off to Fleming who shoots just above the bar. Canada coming on strong now.

69th min.: Sweden's 'keeper is flailing all over the place and Canada nearly gets a go-ahead goal. A defender clears an Ashley Lawrence shot off the line!

67th min.: Jessie Fleming steps up to take this and scores it! It's 1-1! She sends the 'keeper one way and goes the other.

64th min.: Looks like a penalty! Christine Sinclair beats Sweden defender Amanda Ilestedt to a ball in the box and she clatters into Sinclair. The referee will have a look at it.

63rd min.: SUB - Fresh legs for Canada in attack with Deanne Rose coming in for Nichelle Prince. Rose made the difference in the semifinal against the USA by drawing the penalty.

62nd min.: A few minutes now that Sweden has Canada pinned in their own end. Great sliding block by Jessie Fleming to stop a cross in the box. It leads to a Sweden corner, but Sinclair was fouled and the chance is wasted by Sweden.

56th min.: Sweden center mid Angeldal with a shot from outside the box which goes high. Canada is fine conceding those shots all day. It's the flank play and crosses from Sweden that are most problematic.

51st min.: Good start to the half for Canada. Julia Grosso fires a shot from a distance that sails high.

49th min.: Canada's Leon wanted a penalty called. She thought she was fouled in the box as she chased a cross that came in. No call from the ref.

48th min.: Chance for Canada. Ball in behind by Lawrence for Prince, who fires right at the 'keeper.

46th min.: The second half is underway with two subs for Canada. Adriana Leon is in the game for Beckie and Julia Grosso comes in for Quinn in midfield.

Halftime: It was a strong start by Canada, but Sweden came on strong to end the half (10-3 edge in shots) and the Canadians did well not to concede a second. They're still in the game, but the team is now going to have to take some risks, which it isn't entirely accustomed to doing. Coach Bev Priestman will also want to address the left side of the field, where the combination of Quinn and Allysha Chapman are struggling with Sweden's runners. Julia Grosso (in midfield) and Jayde Riviere (at right back, with Ashley Lawrence moving to left back) could be early options off the bench.

41st min.: Canada looking to survive these final minutes before the half without conceding another. Sweden is continuing to push and it's increasingly dangerous.

34th min.: Sweden scores. Stina Blackstenius hits it home from the middle of the box on a cross from Kosovare Asllani. The play started on a giveaway in midfield, a direct result of the Swedish press.

33rd min.: Sweden is shouting for a hand ball in the box on Quinn. The referee says play on. The Swedes were absolutely convinced about that one.

29th min.: Labbe with a diving save on a Jakobsson header in the box. Canada clears it.

28th min.: Another Canada attack and Jessie Fleming's shot goes high of the bar.

27th min.: Janine Beckie gets a yellow for a foul from behind in midfield on Caroline Seger.

21st min.: Nichelle Prince with another one-on-one opportunity out wide (on a great long ball by Quinn) and Beckie couldn't reach her cross though she would've also been offside. Canada is finding chances with those quick long balls over the top for Beckie and Prince.

19th min.: Great ball in behind by Prince for Janine Beckie, whose dangerous cross leads to a corner. The ball on the corner kick pops out to Desiree Scott, but her shot is high.

15th min.: Fantastic build-up by Canada and it leads to a cross in the box by Nichelle Prince. The goalkeeper has to stop it. If one of those balls sneaks through, that's how Canada will score.

10th min.: Sweden left back Eriksson fires a shot that just misses the far post. Sweden is upping the pressure now.

9th min.: Incredible by Vanessa Gilles in her own box! She makes three defensive plays in a row right in front of the goal (header, block and a poke) to singlehandedly defuse the threat.

7th min.: Header by Vanessa Gilles on a Canada corner kick that goes high. It's a good, calm start to this game for Canada. The team looks comfortable out there.

2nd min.: Sweden earns a corner kick on a deflected shot. Canada goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe punches away. Early danger averted for Canada.

1st min.: We're off! Canada in red, Sweden in yellow. Players take the knee before kickoff, and it's Sweden to get us started.

7:15 a.m.: This hype video is all the caffeine you need this early:

6:51 a.m.: Canada going with its first-choice starting XI with Allysha Chapman getting the nod:

Canada coach Bev Priestman believes that veteran Allysha Chapman will be able to contain the threat of Sweden's right winger Sofia Jakobsson, who’s been a terror for opponents since the start of the tournament. One option could've been moving Ashley Lawrence to match up with Jakobsson, but it's Chapman who will be trusted to get the job done.

Central defender Vanessa Gilles, who's had a strong tournament, is once again, given the start ahead of Shelina Zadorsky.

Sweden is sending out the same XI players that it has during the knockout rounds. The center forward is Stina Blackstenius with a trio of attackers behind her: Fridolina Rolfo, who scored the winner against Australia in the semis , attacking midfielder Kosovare Asllani and the aforementioned Jakobsson.

The gold-medal match between Canada and Sweden will air live on CBC in Canada at 8 a.m. ET.

Olympic events in Canada are also streamed for free via the CBC Gem streaming service, CBC’s dedicated Tokyo 2020 website , and the CBC Olympics app. Audiences are also able to watch CBC’s coverage through Amazon Prime Video, television service providers Bell, Rogers, Shaw and Telus, and through connected TV devices Apple TV, FireTV, Google Chromecast and Roku TV (via the CBC TV and CBC Gem apps).

Specifically for soccer, Telelatino (TLN) will carry men’s and women’s football coverage and daily recaps.

Source: Sporting News

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