Canada look to compound Nigeria's fraught preparations 

Reigning Olympic gold medalists kick off their campaign with a chip on their shoulder in a game with huge implications for Vera Pauw's Ireland

MAPLE LEAF MISSION: Canada's Christine Sinclair and teammates take part in a training session in Melbourne on July 19, 2023, ahead of the Women's World Cup football tournament. Pic: William WEST / AFP

Canada's iconic captain Christine Sinclair has arrived at her record-breaking sixth World Cup at the age of 40 with a new-found edge. That's bad news for Nigeria and could be bad news for Ireland too. 

Vera Pauw and her players will surely be watching closely as the other two teams in Group B get their tournament underway in what is a Friday lunchtime showdown for the locals in Melbourne (kickoff 3.30am Irish). 

Canada are next up for Ireland in Perth next Wednesday with Nigeria rounding out matters but what's at stake by the time that rolls around remains to be seen. For Sinclair, the top scorer in international football history with 190 goals in 323 games, and her teammates there is a determination to prove a point and tame the group of death early. 

"We’re still disrespected and brushed aside, [people saying] what we did in Tokyo was a fluke," Sinclair said recently. "There’s a lack of respect from some of the top countries in the world and we’re okay with that. I mean we’re going there to win it."

Nigeria's build-up has been beset by chaos and counter-claims between the federation and manager Randy Waldrum and the players threatened not to play at all over bonus issues. Yet the Super Falcons have more than enough quality, with Barcelona's Asisat Oshoala a lethal threat up front. Canada coach Bev Priestman has had disruptions of her own to deal with. How she tweaks an injury-disrupted team around the veteran Sinclair will be telling...for Group B and beyond.