Postmedia Team of the Year: Canadian women’s national soccer team, gold medalist in Tokyo

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It was a historic year for the Canadian women’s national soccer team.

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At the beginning of 2021, the program was in transition, with Bev Priestman taking over the post of head coach from Kenneth Heiner-Moller just under a year before the postponed Olympic Games in Tokyo.

As a former assistant to the Canadian women’s national team under John Herdman, Priestman managed to take the program to new heights and win gold in Tokyo, which is why Postmedia named it Team of the Year 2021.

“It was a whirlwind,” said Priestman in an exclusive interview with Postmedia. “When I think back to the very first (training) camp of the year, the SheBelieves Cup, this group was active for the first time since COVID.

“When I think back to then and see where we are now, it was a phenomenal year. But the year does not only stand for this year, it stands for the path of this program in 2012, 2016, the investment in the system and then the mammoth step towards winning the gold medal. I think it’s been a great year for the program. “

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The women’s national team has been an inspiration at the Olympics for years, winning bronze again in London in 2012 and in Rio in 2016.

On the way to the 2020 Games, the goal was to improve the last two performances, but shortly after qualifying for Tokyo, the pandemic forced the Olympics to be postponed by a year.

After Heiner-Moller was delayed, he left the program for a job in his native Denmark and Priestman, who was an assistant in England at the time, was brought in to take over.

“It felt a bit like a heavenly match, I felt a bit like coming home,” said Priestman. “It was probably a brilliant first outing as a senior head coach. Familiarity was important, but by the time I walked in, I also felt like the program wasn’t what it could be.

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“I think I was really excited about the players and the staff, the organization and the investment that went into it. For me personally it was the perfect game and I probably couldn’t have played better this year.” has. I am very happy with where I stand, where the program is and where we can be in the future. “

Priestman worked with the Canadian Youth Programs while at Herdman and knew the national team players well as she had put many of them through the system. Priestman took on a team that still had a number of talented veterans who had contributed significantly to the success in 2012 and 2016, but a younger generation was also looking for the breakthrough.
It was up to Priestman and her staff to find the right mix of youth and experience for the Olympic tournament.

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“COVID actually forced the team to trust the squad depth because when you think of the SheBelieves tournament (back in February), maybe seven of the starting players were missing, including Christine Sinclair, Ashley Lawrence and Kadeisha Buchanan,” Priestman said. “And so, in our first game, those younger players were pushed to play number one in the world, the United States.

“I remember calling Christine because she wasn’t there and I told her I didn’t know what we were going to do with the young players and she told me that this team would move up and if they have to That’s it.” I saw it in this US game. “

With a young squad, Canada pushed the four-time Olympic and four-time United States world champions at the SheBelieves Cup and eventually fell on a late goal as it had many opportunities of its own. The game proved to be the benchmark for Priestman on his way to the Olympics.

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“My belief after that game, more than any other game, was that we could actually go in and change the color of the medal. That almost solidified that for me,” said Priestman. “I think as the new head coach I learned that trust was built across the group and everyone played a role.”

Canada played three games in the SheBelieves Cup and five more before the Olympics in Japan. Canada teamed up with hosts Great Britain and Chile in the 12-man tournament in Tokyo.

“I felt very well prepared to go to the Olympics,” said Priestman. “To be fair, Canada Soccer has made a huge contribution to the fact that we have played against top-notch teams up to this tournament. I felt we had a really good opportunity to see and test all of them. “

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After taking over the program, Priestman wanted to simplify things, reduce the number of formations used, and play on the team’s strengths. She also wanted players to get out of their comfort zone and created a competition for spots on the squad.

“I had to restore that level of hunger and desire, and no shirt (position) was taken for granted,” said Priestman. “I think the introduction of fresh blood, new faces and new concepts made the environment feel safe, but very uncomfortable.”

By creating a competition for seats, Priestman was able to get players to improve their game and Canada picked up five points in their first three group games in Tokyo, drawing level with Japan and Great Britain to beat Chile. Canada led in all three games, conceding late goals from both Japan and Great Britain to finish second in their group.

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“I think we missed some wins,” said Priestman. “Actually it was really good, it set us up well when we got out of the group, we were able to have some deep discussions.

“If I look back now, I would not have changed anything. In order to reach the USA in the semifinals in the color change of the medal game, one could probably not have asked for a more suitable route. ”
Canada had a tough road to the finals, beating Brazil on tense penalties and beating the United States 1-0 in the semifinals with a penalty from midfielder Jessie Fleming.

The win avenged a heartbreaking defeat nine years earlier in London and secured at least one silver medal for Canada.

“I remember looking the veterans in the eye and you were watching the footage when that final whistle went off and it was Canada’s final in many ways,” said Priestman. “Our goal was to win game 5 (of the tournament) and we put a lot of work into getting beyond that game.

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“To get there, and we did it against the US, and like we got it with Jessie’s penalty, there are a lot of things in this game that represent the state of that group. The changing of the guard, Sinclair hands the ball to Jessie, Dianne Rose’s pace comes behind the defense (to earn the penalty), there were a lot of things. It wasn’t our best game, we probably played better against the USA in February, but the team found a way to win and I think that’s something. “

In the final, Canada was not only satisfied with the silver medal and a few days later they focused again on Sweden.

“I think the first was to regain everyone’s energy. I saw the excitement and I felt it with the US, ”said Priestman. “What you get at the finals is that you go to the athletes’ village for the first time and we switch everything off and just take in the village, talk to other athletes and relax and unwind. I will argue that this was probably one of the biggest things we chose in this gold medal match. “

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In another tense match, Canada and Sweden ended 1-1 in rule and overtime, and the match was decided on penalties.

Canada won the penalty shootout 3-2. Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe parried Sweden veteran Jonna Andersson brilliantly, then Julia Grosso won with her shot.

As in 2012, the women’s soccer team fired the imagination of an entire country and the gold medal game was the most watched event of the entire Olympic Games in Canada.

“It was a bit surreal; I remember being at the stadium 90 minutes ago and it was a little scary, ”said Priestman. “I almost didn’t believe I was there, so it became almost just a soccer game, which sounds crazy.

“Even with the penalty shootout, I thought someone was watching us up there because it seemed like it should be. To win that and to see Christine Sinclair with a gold medal around her neck and the whole team singing the anthem, I felt really privileged to see that. “