Gillies plays hero, Whitby, Caledon stars help Canada stay alive in Olympic soccer tournament

“We’re not cheaters. We’re damn good players. We’re a damn good team. We have a damn good group and we proved that today.”

So said Canadian soccer hero Vanessa Gillies (Chateauguay, QC) in a post-game interview after scoring in the 112th minute to give the defending Olympic gold medalists a dramatic 2-1 victory over host France in a match that was a must-win for Canada.

Canada moved to 2-0 in Group A but need to win out after FIFA slapped the team with a six-point penalty in the wake of the drone scandal that has rocked the entire national soccer organization.

The messages of support for the Canadian women, who have been under intense scrutiny before the players even took the field in these Games, came swiftly after Sunday’s pressure-packed win over world #2 France:

• “Don’t tell these girls they can’t…..” – Lori
• “That is an incredible victory for the Canadian women soccer team. These players, damn…” – Richard
• “Another comeback victory. In the midst of the drone scandal. FIFA 6-point deduction. The Canadians have not quit.” – Devin
• “Woohoo!!! I’m not crying, you’re crying. We are all behind you ladies!” – Jen

Assistant coach Andy Spence has been guiding the team since head coach Bev Priestman was sent home and banned from football for a year in the fallout from ‘dronegate’ after a coaching analyst was caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand practices before the opening match, won by Canada.

FIFA docked Canada six points in the aftermath, meaning Les Rouges would have to upset France and finish with a win over Colombia to have any chance of advancing to the quarter-finals.

So it wasn’t looking good when Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored in the 42nd minute with a low ball just inside the post by Whitby’s Kailen Sheridan to put France up 1-0.

The second half was a different story as the Canadians – with absolutely nothing to lose – pressed forward and were rewarded with the tying goal in the 58th minute when Caledon’s Ashley Lawrence sent in a cross in that French ‘keeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin spilled out to Canadian captain Jessie Fleming (London) for the tap-in.

Peyraud-Magnin was hit in the face by a sliding defender on the play and had to be stretchered off, to be replaced by Constance Picaud.

Whitby’s Kailen Sheridan

Needing another goal to stay alive, Canada increased the urgency and were rewarded nearly at the death, though it took a monster stop by Sheridan nine minutes into added time on Grace Geyoro to keep the dream alive, with the PSG midfielder looking skyward for divine intervention after the Canadian ‘keeper’s huge save.

Three minutes later Gillies – who plays for French side Lyon and was eligible to represent France through her father – earned her hero status to quiet the home crowd after another spill (this time from Picaud) allowed her to collect a rebound from a Jordan Huitema (Chilliwack, BC) strike and calmly place the winning goal off the post and in.

Canada then had to survive another three minutes or so (after the 13 announced extra minutes) before the whistle finally sounded.

Columbia, who beat New Zealand 2-0 Sunday, now is the only team standing in the way of Canada reaching the knockout rounds, despite the historic six-point penalty.

The Canada – Colombia match goes Wednesday.

Bronze medalists in both London in 2012 and Rio in 2016, Canada won gold in Tokyo in 2021.

Caledon’s Ashley Lawrence hunts for ball against France Sunday