Kadeisha Buchanan

Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team draw Nigeria 2:2 in the second of two West Coast Celebration Tour matches. A sold out crowd at Starlight Stadium in Langford BC joined in the celebration.

Before kickoff, Jessie Fleming was presented with her 2021 Canada Soccer Player of the Year Award by Canada Soccer Vice-President Charmaine Crooks.

Nigeria would open the scoring early in the match after drawing a foul on the outside corner of the 18 yard box. The free kick would fall to Ifeoma Onumonu who put it in the net with a back heel in the 5′

In the 27′ Janine Beckie rattled a shot off of the post. The rebound fell to Kadeisha Buchanan who had her attempt on net blocked by a Nigerian defender on the goal line.

Early in the second half, Christine Sinclair created a turnover in the middle of the pitch, and catching the Nigerian keeper off her line, beat the keeper with a chip from distance to even the score in the 48′

Nigeria would retake the lead just moments later in the 53′ with a cross into the box that took an awkward bounce before ending up in the back of the net.

In the 53′ Zoe Burns entered the match, marking her senior debut.

Christine Sinclair would attempt another chip, this time from a near-impossible angle that hit the underside of the crossbar and somehow stayed out of the net.

However, the equalizer would come. In the 87′ Shelina Zadorsky got her head onto a cross from Janine Beckie, burying the tying goal. Zadorsky was named the Performance of the Match, fuelled by Gatorade.

Canada’s Starting XI saw Kailen Sheridan start in goal. Janine Beckie, Kadeisha Buchanan, Shelina Zadorsky and Allysha Chapman would make up the backline. Desiree Scott, Quinn, and Captain Jessie Fleming started in the midfield. Nichelle Prince, Jordyn Huitema and Adriana Leon rounded out Canada’s attack.

Head Coach Bev Priestman made a triple substitution to begin the second half, bringing on Sabrina D’Angelo, Christine Sinclair and Deanne Rose in place of Kailen Sheridan, Jordyn Huitema, and Nichelle Prince. Zoe Burns would make her debut in the 53′ replacing Allysha Chapman. Julia Grosso would come on for Desiree Scott in the 63′. Gabrielle Carle would be the final change of the night, replacing Adriana Leon in the 84′