The Canadian Olympic women’s soccer team was named the Canadian Press Team of the Year on Thursday. It was a breakthrough year for the program, which won a major international competition for the first time ever. On August 6 in Yokohama, Japan, Team Canada won the gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games by defeating Sweden in the final 3-2 on penalty kicks after being deadlocked at one goal apiece.
The gold medal in women’s soccer was an accomplishment that was long-time coming for their star player, Christine Sinclair of Burnaby, British Columbia, who at 188 goals, has the most international goals by a women’s soccer player all-time. At the Olympic Games, Sinclair scored Canada’s first goal of the tournament, which came in a 1-1 tie against Japan, and remarkably it was her only goal of the Olympic Games.
Team Canada won its first game on July 24 in Sapporo with a 2-1 win over Chile. Janine Beckie scored both of the Canadian goals. Then on July 27 in Kashima, Canada tied Great Britain on a goal in the 55th minute by Adriana Leon of Mississauga, Ontario.
Canada entered the quarterfinals with a record of one win and two draws, and good enough for second place in Group E. In their first knockout game, Canada beat Brazil 4-3 on penalties. Remarkably, it was Sinclair who was the only Canadian player not to beat Brazilian goalkeeper Barbara. In the semifinals, Canada beat the United States 1-0 on a penalty kick by Jessie Fleming of London, Ontario in the 75th minute. Then in the gold medal game, Canada got a goal in regulation time by Fleming again, before Fleming, Deanne Rose of New Tecumseth, Ontario, and Julia Grosso of Vancouver, British Columbia scored on penalties.
