With the fortunes of Group A at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014 still in the balance, there’s one thing that Canada’s women’s U-20 team can do to make their chances of advancing: win.
But that’s easier said than done as they’ll take to the field at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal against Korea DPR, a team that’s won their first two games of the tournament and who are one of the best women’s programs in the world. The match will be broadcast live on CBC at 4 p.m. PT.
“Korea is very organized, very disciplined and very collective in attack and defending with great numbers,” said head coach Andrew Olivieri of Tuesday’s opposition. “They have a lot of quality and are consistent throughout the game so they don’t make many mistakes so it’s just up to us to capitalize on mistakes when they do make them.”
Canada sits in a tie for second in the group with Ghana as both teams have three points. While Canada plays Korea, Ghana takes on Finland in Moncton and there are a myriad of scenarios where different teams qualify for the quarterfinals.
This will be a massive test for the young Canadians. They’ll have to focus on the task in front of them on the field and ignore what’s happening in eastern Canada. Fortunately, the lure of the knockout rounds should be enough to keep their eyes on the prize.
“We’re hoping to take that next step and get into a quarterfinal and beyond the quarterfinals,” said Olivieri. “That would be very important for us as a program in terms of the progress we’re trying to establish.”
Since the tournament’s format switched from being a U-19 competition to a U-20 one. Canada last advanced to a knockout round at a world youth championship at the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship Thailand 2004 so this team would like nothing more than to make some history on home soil.
