A lone goal courtesy striker Yamila Rodríguez powered 10-woman Argentina to score a stunning 1-0 victory over Canada in their second friendly match at the Starlight Stadium in Langford, British Columbia Tuesday.
The win helped the South Americans snap a seven-match winless streak against the Canadian women – a record that dates back to 2003 when the teams first met each other. It was also Casey Stoney’s first loss as head coach since taking over the team in January this year.
“I think there were elements of the game that we were in control of and there were elements where I thought we lost a little bit of midfield control in the first half,” said Stoney in the post-match press conference.
The seventh-ranked Canadian women’s team, who have not failed to score in the last five matches, headed into this match as the clear favourites after completing a satisfying 3-0 rout of Argentina in their first friendly match in Vancouver last Friday.
However, The South Americans started Tuesday’s match in resilient fashion, making much stronger tackles and fighting tooth and nail with their Canadian counterparts to win the ball.
“I think we played a little bit into their hands. We did not move the ball enough,” said Stoney “If we go in front, it’s probably a different game. But once you go behind on a pitch like this and a team like that, it’s just going to slow the game down every time the whistle goes. It’s going to be difficult.”
New-look Canada miss chances, Stoney eyes improvement
Canada began the match with a completely different team than the starting eleven that played the first friendly. Goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo started in net, defender Shelina Zadorsky got the captain’s armband, and veteran midfielder Quinn returned to the team.
However, the most-notable change was the inclusion of 19-year-old Kayla Briggs, who made waves on the right flank with an impressive performance on her debut for the senior team.
“It was an opportunity to change the team,” said Stoney, when asked about the new players. “It was an opportunity to look at different players as well and I think that was a positive.”
The Reds had the first big chance to go ahead when striker Deanne Rose made an impeccable run in the seventh minute to steal the ball and go one-on-one with goalkeeper Solana Pereyra, only to hit the ball straight into the hands of the Argentine.
- Photo gallery: Canada lose to Argentina in international friendly
Canada had another chance soon after in the 12th minute when British Columbia’s own – Julia Grosso’s – corner kick led to a mini scramble in the Argentine penalty box.
Even though the South Americans were successful in clearing the ball, some great skill combined with a run from Marie-Yasmine Alidou gave Canada another shot at goal. But Argentina were able to clear the ball again, exposing a potential Canada finishing problem.
“About being clinical in the final third, I think we could have had more shots, even more than what we had,” said coach Stoney when asked about how the team can improve in the future. “I thought we got into the final third but there was a lack of decision making and execution.”
Cards galore as ‘physical’ Argentina draw first blood
Argentina’s first big chance in the match came in the 22nd minute when they got a freekick in a dangerous position just outside the Canadian box. Midfielder Sofía Domínguez stepped up to hit an absolute cannonball shot that clipped the crossbar and kept the score tied at 0-0.
But the respite for Canada was short-lived when the South Americans were duly rewarded for their constant badgering in the 34th minute. Rodriguez gave Argentina a 1-0 lead after the striker’s freekick from the far left side of the pitch somehow bounced and slipped underneath keeper D’Angelo, who was slow to cover the near post.
Canada lost to Argentina 1-0 in an international friendly at Starlight Stadium in Victoria, BC Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Photo: Kelly Wallace/Total Soccer News
The first half also saw Argentina receive three yellow cards – something that did not jive well with Stoney.
“It was very physical,” observed Stoney. “There were a couple of tackles that I really wasn’t very happy with. It enabled them to slow the game down. We could not get any rhythm.
“They did what they came to do. To break the game up. To foul. To slow the game down. And they got a goal. So, you have to credit them because their tactics worked.”
And a controversial moment in the 40th minute did peg the Canadians back drastically when goalscorer Rodríguez, while attempting to win the ball from Quinn, went in studs first on the Canadian’s ankle. However, the Argentinian goal scorer was only shown a yellow card when replays showed a red could have been warranted.
Argentina see red, Canada fire on all cylinders
The South Americans began the second half with the same zeal that they showed in the first. Even though coach Stoney brought in veterans Janine Sonis and Jessie Fleming to lead the Canadian fightback, Argentina showed no signs of backing down or being less physical.
However, momentum changed in the 78th minute when Argentina keeper Pereyra was shown a red card for handling the ball outside the penalty box after trying to stop Sonis – who had made a brilliant run on the right flank – from chipping the ball over her.
The resulting substitution gave Canada a woman advantage and they threw the kitchen sink at their South American rivals in a bid to find that elusive equalizer in the last ten minutes.
The Les Rouges made an aggressive move in the 83rd minute when the deadly combination of Sonis, Fleming, and another debutant – Holly Ward – threatened to derail Argentina just before Fleming’s header in the 85th minute skimmed the post ever so slightly on its way out.
But the biggest chance came in stoppage time when second-half substitute Ashley Lawrence was denied from close range. The Chelsea FC midfielder received the ball from Sonis in the box and took a shot at goal, only to be blocked by some desperate defending.
Argentina then played out the match by using all the tactics in the book to hold off a last-ditch Canadian charge, pulling off one of their biggsest victories in recent history.
“There will be a deep review process as there always is,” Stoney revealed. “We review the wins, we’ll review the draws, and we’ll review the losses.
“They [the team]want to continue to grow, learn, and get better. They’re a very good team. There are a lot of good players and the team wants to continue to try to reach the top and that’s what we’re here to do and help them.”
The Canadian women’s team will next play the United States in the Allstate Continental Clásico in July this year, where they will aim to snap a 25-year-old winless streak on US soil.
