A slow start turned into a goal rush Tuesday night as Canada blanked Trinidad and Tobago 6-0 to open play at the CONCACAF W Championship in Guadalupe, Mexico.
Canada, the defending Olympic champion, is ranked sixth in the world compared to No. 76 for Trinidad.
Despite dominating play, Canada held a slim 1-0 lead two-thirds of the way through the match on captain Christine Sinclair’s 190th international goal. Determined Trinidad defending and some errant finishing made for Canadian frustration.
But five goals in the final 23 minutes — with four in the last 11 minutes — changed the storyline completely.
Julia Grosso struck twice to open her senior scoring account with singles from Jessie Fleming, Janine Beckie and Jordyn Huitema.
The eight-team tournament, which runs through July 18, serves as the qualifier in North and Central America and the Caribbean for both the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Previously World Cup and Olympic qualifying were separate in the region.
Canada, whose lack of scoring has been an issue of late, outshot Trinidad 27-1 (9-1 in shots on target) and had 61 per cent possession, according to CONCACAF.
“The narrative about lack of goals, I think that plays into players getting tense,” said Canada coach Bev Priestman. “I was just pleased to put that to bed now and just focus on the process.”
Canada had scored just six goals in its previous six games this year while going 2-1-3.
“I’m really pleased with six goals and a clean sheet. It’s nothing to be scoffed at,”
After Sinclair opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a majestic header, Canada endured a drought in front of goal before Grosso, from a nice setup by substitute Huitema, scored on a low left-footed shot in the 67th minute.
Grosso, a 21-year-old midfielder who plays in Italy for Juventus, scored again in the 79th after Trinidad failed to clear a cross. The ball went to Grosso who shifted it to her right foot to get past a defender before firing it home.
Fleming made it 4-0 in the 84th minute, sweeping home a Beckie cross. Trinidad goalkeeper Kimika Forbes could have done better on the goal. Beckie made it 5-0 in the 86th with the Trinidad defense in tatters and Huitema completed the rout one minute into stoppage time.
It was one-way traffic on the night and Canada could have gone into halftime up 8-0 but instead walked off the field at 1-0.
Canada had 60 per cent possession in the first 45 minutes and outshot Trinidad 16-0 (7-0 in shots on target).
Canada controlled the match from the get-go and came close to going ahead in the 16th minute when Sinclair, in her 311th national team appearance, hit the goalpost after a nice buildup by Deanne Rose and Beckie.
Priestman said she told the team at the break to “take the handbrake off” and express themselves.
“Sometimes we stick to a script too much,” the coach said.
Looking to inject some energy, Priestman made a quadruple change with Grosso, Huitema, Allysha Chapman and Adriana Leon coming on with 30 minutes left.
