Olympic Games: Canada defeats Football Ferns despite spying scandal

Defending champion Canada won its opening match at the Olympic Games in Paris 2-1 against New Zealand. The tournament was overshadowed by a spy scandal that shook the entire women’s tournament.

Cloe Lacasse and Evelyne Viens scored the goals on a night when Canada could have claimed a routine group victory before a scandal thrust the team into the global spotlight. As a result of the scandal, coach Bev Priestman was forced to sit out a game and two staff members were sent home amid allegations that drones were used at two Football Ferns training sessions.

Assistant Andy Spence acted as coach while Priestman, who withdrew from the game following New Zealand’s complaint, watched it from the team hotel.

The exact consequences of the scandal are not yet clear, as Canada Soccer has already launched an independent external investigation into the matter and the world football association FIFA has initiated disciplinary proceedings.

Joseph Lombardi, one of the employees sent home, was given an eight-month suspended prison sentence and his equipment was confiscated, a French court said.

New Zealand coach Indiah-Page Riley, meanwhile, said the scandal had “lit a fire in our veins”.

Mackenzie Barry shocked the Canadians with her goal in the 13th minute, firing the ball onto the underside of the crossbar following a corner from Katie Kitching.

But Canada proved too strong for the women’s soccer underdog, whose best Olympic result was a quarter-final appearance in 2012, and Lacasse equalized in first-half stoppage time, firing home from close range after some wonderful passes.

Viens scored the winning goal in the 79th minute in front of a sparse crowd at the Geoffrey Guichard Stadium when she ran onto a pinpoint long pass from Jessie Fleming and shot straight into the far corner from a tight angle.

Spain defeated Japan 2-1 in their opening match in Group C.

The Football Ferns’ next game is against Colombia on Monday.

– Reuters