Casey Stoney didn’t mince words in assessing Canada’s 1-0 loss to the 11th-ranked Netherlands in women’s soccer friendly on Tuesday.
“Not good enough,” the Canada coach said from Nijmegen. “Nowhere near the level in terms of the technical quality, ability to keep the ball, winning 50-50 duels. Not to the standard that we need or require when we’re playing top opponents.”
The Dutch were faster, more creative, more aggressive and better connected for most of the game. Missing some key pieces, Canada’s once-vaunted ability to win physical battles was lacking.
“I played against Canada, I’ve watched Canada and all I hear is that that was the hallmark. Well it ain’t now,” said the former England captain. “So we’ve got to get back to basics. I’ll be honest, I feel like we look like little girls against women out there at times in terms of the duels.”
“Listen we’ve got a lot of work to do,” she added.
Lynn Wilms scored for the classy Dutch, who led the dance most of the entire evening. The home side went ahead in the 28th minute and could have added to the lead had it been more clinical.
Ninth-ranked Canada offered a little more in the second half but the Dutch kept coming.
“I haven’t takes away many positives tonight, to be honest,” said Stoney, who lamented Canada’s string of turnovers and inability to convert what chances it had.
Canada shut out for 3rd straight friendly, this time by Netherlands
Fullback Jayde Riviere was the best of the Canadians, posing a threat down the right flank.
“Jayde’s got the potential to be one of the best fullbacks in the world ⦠We just didn’t have enough players up to the [required] level,” said Stoney.
She said it will take time and perhaps changes in personnel to fix things.
“But who am I changing the personnel to?” she asked rhetorically. “The [player] pool is the pool and it’s so small.”
The message to her players was go back to your clubs and do the work on the field and in the gym to improve.
It was a third straight defeat for Canada, which has not scored in 274 minutes since a 4-1 win over Costa Rica on June 27. It was just the Canadians’ second loss to the Netherlands in 15 meetings (9-2-4).
The Canadian women, missing some key pieces through injury, were coming off a 1-0 loss Friday to No. 24 Switzerland in Lucerne. They were blanked 3-0 by the second-ranked United States on July 2 in Washington, D.C.
Stoney had warned the Swiss and Dutch were “competition-ready right now,” thanks to the “very competitive” UEFA Women’s Championship in July. In contrast, she noted Canada’s last competitive game was Aug. 2, 2024 â a penalty shootout loss to Germany in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Canadian women. They close out the year in the November international window with a two-match series against No. 8 Japan, with games in Nagasaki on Nov. 29 and Dec. 2.
“These games are here for a reason,” said Stoney. “We need to struggle right now to get out of it, to know exactly what we’ve got to do to get better. And who we need to bring into the squad to make sure that we are competing at the highest level.”
The Canadians fell to 6-4-1 under Stoney.
As expected, the Dutch played a possession game â they had 70 per cent of the ball in the first half â while looking for holes in the Canadian defence. They found a big one in the 28th minute.
The Canadian defence was torn apart after a slick passing buildup that ended with Esmee Brugts dribbling past Canadian defender Jade Rose and sending a perfect pass just past the outstretched leg of centre back Shelina Zadorsky. The ball found Wilms alone in front of goal for a simple tap-in with ‘keeper Sabrina D’Angelo, a clubmate of Wilms at England’s Aston Villa, trying unsuccessfully to get back in position.
Stoney made three changes to her starting lineup with D’Angelo, fullback Ashley Lawrence and Jordyn Huitema slotting in for Kailen Sheridan, Gabby Carle and the injured Olivia Smith.
Canada’s Smith suffers injury in 1-0 friendly loss to Switzerland
It was an experienced lineup with the Canadian starting lineup going into the match with a combined 945 caps. Lawrence earned her 150th cap with captain Jessie Fleming collecting cap No. 149.
Canada could not take advantage of its few chances.
An Adriana Leon goal in the 62nd minute was wiped off the board for a clear offside. Dutch goalkeeper Lize Kop, who plays her club football for England’s Tottenham, made a fine save to tip a Janine Sonis shot over the bar in the 72nd minute.
A Nichelle Prince goal was ruled offside in stoppage time, on a play Stoney said was clearly onside.
Canada sent on Carle, Nichelle Prince, Marie-Yasmine Alidou, Holly Ward, Evelyne Viens and Marie Levasseur in the second half.
Canada was missing injured goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx (Juventus), defenders Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea) and Vanessa Gilles (Bayern Munich) midfielder Simi Awujo (Manchester United) as well as Smith and teenage striker Kaylee Hunter.
