Update: Canada cancel out McCabe screamer to make it 1-1 at half-time
UNFORTUNATE: Ireland goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan can’t stop Canada from scoring their first goal through an own goal. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
The sleepy town of Perth was awoken by the cacophony of celebratory noise from Katie McCabe giving Ireland an early lead against Olympic champions Canada.
History was made when the captain took just three minutes and 38 seconds to fire the Girls in Green ahead – directly from a corner – with their first-ever tournament goal.
It was gold-standard technique worthy of any Olympian.
The inswinger with her trusty left foot floated right over the limb swing of Kailen Sheridan’s hand and into the far corner left unguarded by Jordyn Huitema.
Sadly, they couldn’t hold the lead until half-time as Juventus star Julia Grosso also succeeded from an unlikely source, her cross deflecting off the retreating Megan Connolly on its way to nestling in Courtney Brosnan’s far corner.
A second successive defeat following the narrow opening loss to Australia would eliminate Ireland from the World Cup with Monday’s final group B game against Nigeria to spare but they well deserve to be at least on terms at the break.
Midafternoon showers teeming in from the west coast of Australia reemerged just 30 minutes before kick-off when opposing manager Vera Pauw and Bev Priestman embraced at the centre circle but the rains hasn’t dampened the mood in the 21,000-capacity arena dominated by Ireland fans.
They’ve been treated to an Ireland performance similar to the bravery shown when taking the lead away to top seeds Sweden in the qualifiers.
Canada pipped the Swedes to Olympic supremacy two years ago in Tokyo. However, their demise continued as they followed up the stalemate against Nigeria by failing to hardly lay a glove on Ireland until that later intervention.
In for Marissa Sheva, Lucy Quinn warmed the crowd up just three minutes in by scampering down the right and crossing for Kyra Carusa to poke a close-range shot that was saved and then scrambled away for a corner by Sheridan.
She was left flapping in the wet night sky moments later to spark jubilant scenes. McCabe was entitled to remain unmoved on the spot, raise her arms and absorb the alchemy of joy from her teammates and supporters.
It wasn’t an isolated opening, as Sinead Farrelly’s sliced shot forced the goalkeeper to stoop low and turn the effort around the post. Denise O’Sullivan smashed a shot over from an identical distance later on.
It took a Canadian side struggling to contain Carusa’s trickery up front until the half-hour to force a corner.
The cleared delivery was recycled back into the box Kadeisha Buchanan flicked to her central-defensive teammate Vanessa Gilles to stab over.
Courtney Brosnan only had Jordyn Huitema’s 22nd-minute shot to easily deal with before they were undone by failing to cut out the cross-shot from the left touchline.
Not quite a dampener but a few more clouds than had seemed when McCabe sprinkled her gold dust.
Courtney Brosnan; Heather Payne, Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Megan Connolly, Katie McCabe (capt); Ruesha Littlejohn, Denise O’Sullivan; Sinead Farrelly, Lucy Quinn; Kyra Carusa.
Kailen Sheridan; Jayde Riviere, Kadeisha Buchanan, Vanessa Gilles, Ashley Lawrence; Quinn, Julia Grosso; Adriana Leon, Jessie Fleming, Jordyn Huitema; Evelyn Viens.
Laura Fortunato (ARG).
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