Evelyne Viens scored a goal and set up two more as Canada beat Morocco 4-0 in an international women’s soccer friendly on Monday.
Jessie Fleming, Janine Beckie and Clarissa Larisey scored Canada’s other goals at Estadio Municipal de Chapin.
Morocco, ranked 76th in the world, have proven to be a tenacious opponent to defeat. The seventh-ranked Canadians had 73 per cent possession in the first half but only managed three shots on target as Fleming gave the go-ahead in the 24th minute.
The Atlas Lionesses, heading to their first-ever World Cup, were runners-up to South Africa at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in July.
Canada beat Argentina (31st) 2-0 on Friday in Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain, taking the lead with a 68th-minute own goal from Argentina and an 87th-minute strike from substitute Cloe Lacasse .
Morocco lost 4-0 to 32nd-placed Poland last Thursday in Seville, Spain.
The African team is coached by former France international Reynald Pedros, who twice led Olympique Lyonnais Féminin to the UEFA Women’s Champions League title and was named FIFA’s Best Women’s Coach in 2018.
Canadian coach Bev Priestman made six changes to her starting lineup, adding goaltender Sabrina D’Angelo, Desiree Scott, Jade Rose, Viens, Lacasse and Quinn, who goes by one name. The starting 11 entered the game with a total of 730 selections, including 416 from Scott, Fleming and Kadeisha Buchanan.
Scott, earning his 184th cap, succeeded Fleming as captain.
Canada was missing the injured Christine Sinclair, Ashley Lawrence, Vanessa Gilles, Deanne Rose, Gabrielle Carle and Jayde Rivière. Full-back Allysha Chapman was also out after suffering a leg injury in the physical game against Argentina.
Morocco stayed behind in an effective defensive block, looking to counterattack. The Canadians had more ball but struggled to bolster their attack in a lackluster start to the game.
That changed in the 24th minute when a poor clearance by Moroccan keeper Khadija Er-Rmichi was intercepted by an opportunistic Viens, which found a pressed Fleming in the penalty area. The Chelsea midfielder overtook defender Nouhaila Benzina and beat Er-Rmichi for his 19th goal in 109 international appearances.
Er-Rmichi made a nice save in the 40th minute, getting a leg in front of a point-blank shot from Lacasse after a nice pivot from the Canadian striker in front of goal before firing the shot.
Viens doubled the lead in the 54th minute, rising high to drive the ball home for his third international goal. The game went out from a corner of Canada initially cleared, but only to substitute Sophie Schmidt, who returned a fine cross into the penalty area.
A minute later, Schmidt hit the crossbar with his own header in another corner. Er-Rmichi got his hands on a hard Prince shot from the edge of the penalty area in the 80th minute.
Priestman dispatched Shelina Zadorsky, Nichelle Prince and Schmidt, earning his 216th cap, to start the second half. Quinn, who had apparently favored an ankle, was one of the players substituted.
Simi Awujo, Larisey and Zoe Burns followed the Canadian bench as the game progressed.
A Morocco long-range shot, his only shot on target, produced a diving save from D’Angelo in the 48th minute after a Schmidt turnover.
Beckie made it 3-0 in the 84th minute after a fine pass from Schmidt. With no defender pressing, Beckie had time to pick her spot for her 36th goal in 98 appearances for Canada.
Larisey finished the scoring in the 90th minute, taking advantage of a fine through pass from Viens. A rushing Er-Rmichi blocked the ball first, but it bounced off Larisey who pushed it home for his first Canadian goal.
With their fourth consecutive victory, the Canadian Olympic champions improved their record to 10-2-3 this year with losses to the United States, 1-0 in the CONCACAF W Championship final in July, and Spain, 1-0 in the Arnold Clark Cup in February.
The game took place in the last international window before the October 22 draw in Auckland for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Canada qualified for the World Cup at the CONCACAF W Championship.
Morocco qualified after finishing runners-up to 54th-placed South Africa at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations. Reaching the semi-finals there secured qualification for the World Cup.
Like Canada, they were missing key players, including captain Ghizlane Chebbak and Tottenham striker Rosella Ayana, both injured.
The Atlas Lionesses dispatched 11-time champions Nigeria, the region’s 46th-ranked side, in a 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory in the Nations Cup semi-finals for qualify for the World Cup.
Canada had faced Morocco twice before, with both games in February 2001 while at camp in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. Canada won the opener 4-0 and lost the rematch 1-0 two days later.
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