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Matildas slump to 1-0 loss against Canada in Christine Sinclair’s farewell

Caitlin Foord shields the ball from Canada’s Ashley Lawrence in Vancouver on Wednesday.

Caitlin Foord shields the ball from Canada’s Ashley Lawrence in Vancouver on Wednesday. Photo: Getty

The Matildas’ bumper 2023 has ended on a sour note, slumping to a lethargic 1-0 away loss to Canada in retiring legend Christine Sinclair’s final international match.

Four days after an experimental line-up was thumped 5-0, Quinn’s header in the 40th minute, after poor defending at a corner, brought a near-full-1strength Australia undone.

Ten of the 11 players selected by coach Tony Gustavsson started Australia’s rampant 4-0 Women’s World Cup win over Canada, with Teagan Micah replacing injured goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold.

Sam Kerr (foot) and Arnold (arm) were both ruled out of the friendly series, Australia’s final games before February’s Olympic qualifiers against Uzbekistan.

The Matildas had just six shots and none on target to Canada’s 12 (four on target) in a performance that started with energy but grew more lethargic and tired.

Canada Soccer put on an emotional pre-game ceremony for Sinclair, who was retiring alongside long-time teammate Sophie Schmidt, in front of 48,112 fans at BC Place, renamed Christine Sinclair Place for the occasion.

Sinclair, 40, scored a record 190 international goals, more than anyone in the women’s and men’s games, won an Olympic gold medal and appeared at six World Cups.

Australia opened the game with more intensity than its previous game and Hayley Raso fired a warning shot wide in the seventh minute.

But despite Gustavsson’s determination for Australia to improve its build-up play, its best opportunities still came through finding either Raso or Caitlin Foord out wide.

The Matildas went dangerously close to opening the scoring in the 13th minute when Raso sprung a counter attack but couldn’t pick out Ellie Carpenter.

Canada’s Cloe Lacasse blasted over the bar in the 15th minute and Nichelle Prince cut a great chance wide two minutes later.

Australia’s energy dropped off after the opening half-hour and it conceded when Sinclair flicked on Jessie Fleming’s corner towards Kadeisha Buchanan.

The defender’s shot hit the bar, but Quinn reacted quickest to head home the rebound.

Canada had the ball in the back of the net again in the 43rd minute through Vanessa Gilles but she was ruled to have fouled Micah on the way through.

Sinclair departed the field for the final time in the 58th minute, handing the captain’s armband over to Schmidt, who replaced her.

Van Egmond shot over the bar in the 67th minute while Foord skimmed another over the woodwork two minutes later.

Tameka Yallop, Gustavsson’s only substitute used, spurned a golden opportunity to equalise in the 76th.

Mary Fowler slipped through the veteran, who took a lovely touch but couldn’t keep her shot down, capping off a difficult night.

-AAP
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