Canada saved their Olympic medal hopes alive with a dramatic comeback win over hosts France on Sunday night.
Canada started the day on minus three factors in Group A having been docked six factors by FIFA over a drone-spying scandal.
The punishment, which Canada says they are going to enchantment, left their hopes of qualification for the knockout stage hanging within the steadiness forward of tonight’s assembly with hosts France.
Head coach Bev Priestman was absent for the sport in Saint-Etienne after being given a year-long suspension for her half within the spying scandal, which facilities on the usage of drones to observe Group A rivals New Zealand’s coaching classes earlier than the beginning of the Video games.
Australia’s 6-5 victory over Zambia earlier on Sunday meant solely most factors from their two remaining group-stage video games can be sufficient to maintain them within the event.
Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s Forty first-minute strike gave France the lead earlier than Jessie Fleming bought Canada again on stage phrases on the hour mark.
Interim coach Andy Spence introduced on Evelyne Viens, Janine Beckie and Julio Grosso seeking a winner with Canada on the point of changing into the primary staff to be eradicated from medal competition.
Vanessa Gilles scored 12 minutes into stoppage time to drag Canada again from the brink of elimination. After the match, Gilles spoke concerning the lower than “ultimate performing circumstances” because of the fallout from the drone-spying scandal. Gilles stated that the staff has come collectively as a result of they’ve “nothing to lose.”
“What’s given us vitality is one another, is our dedication,” Gilles stated to CBC’s Christine Roger put up match. “Our pleasure is to show folks mistaken.”
Gilles was adamant that the gamers “aren’t cheaters.”
“We’re a rattling good staff, we’re a rattling good group and we proved that as we speak,” Gilles stated.
The construct as much as the sport had been dominated by the continuing fallout of the investigation into espionage within the camp.
In an announcement launched earlier than kick-off, a “heartbroken” Priestman stated she would cooperate with Canada Soccer’s investigation.
“Because the chief of the staff on the sector, I need to take accountability, and I plan to completely cooperate with the investigation,” Priestman stated. “I fought with each ounce of my being to make this program higher, a lot of which is able to by no means be recognized or understood.
“I want I might say extra, however I’ll chorus at the moment, given the appeals course of and the continuing investigation.”
GO DEEPER
Canada’s Olympic soccer spying scandal defined: What we all know, who’s concerned and what’s subsequent
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(Picture: Logan Riely/Getty Photographs)
