OPINION | Depleted by injury, distracted by negotiation, Canada’s women’s team shows resilience in loss to France | CBC Sports

This is a column by Shireen Ahmed, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC’s Opinion section, please see the FAQ.

It is 100 days before the FIFA Women’s World Cup that is to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand and on Tuesday, No. 6-ranked Canada faced No. 5 France in Le Mans in its final friendly before the tournament begins July 20.

Canada coach Bev Priestman knew it wouldn’t be an easy match for her reigning Olympic champions, saying prior to the game: “We have to defend really disciplined but I see opportunities when we have the ball to punish them.” 

France has an arsenal of some of the best players in the world, including Wendi Renard and Eugenie Le Sommer, who returned to the team after Hervé Renard replaced Corine Diacre as head coach. Renard (no relation to Wendi) most recently coached the Saudi Arabia men’s team at the last year’s Men’s World Cup in Qatar. He has seen historic wins. And he knows how to build. 

Canada took the pitch in spectacular red uniforms — the maple leafs subtle yet strong against black shorts. The squad was thinned out because some of the most well-known faces are out with injury: Kadeisha Buchanan, Janine Beckie, Desiree Scott, Nichelle Prince, Deanne Rose,  and Quinn. Shelina Zadorsky has been unwell for a few months and recently went public with her health challenges. 

While most of the injuries are manageable, Beckie has a torn ACL and will miss the World Cup. Canada has called up a few notable younger players to fill in the gaps and Priestman said she will wait a little longer for final team selection because of the uncertainty of some of the injuries.

I watched this match with a lot of curiosity because what looked like an exhausted and emotionally depleted team in February at the She Believes Cup came out stronger than many expected. But underestimating a team like this is something Canadians should know not to do. They have won tournaments and reached historic heights all without a domestic women’s league, having to leave Canada to play in leagues worthy of their skill. 

The first half was full of attacks from both sides and in an exciting moment Canadian captain Christine Sinclair almost scored in the first five minutes, foreshadowing some of what might come. 

The French team is well aware of the highest-scoring international player and knows what she’s capable of. Many of the French and Canadian players are teammates at clubs in Europe, including Paris St.Germain, Olympique Lyonnais, and Manchester United.

The Cascarino twins (Estelle and Delphine) were double trouble for Canada with Delphine gunning hard from the top and Estelle creating chaos for Canada up the middle of the pitch, forcing stalwart Canadian midfielder Sophie Schmidt to be on top of her game. Canada’s quiet warrior, midfielder Jessie Fleming, commanded the ball and her kicks on set plays were on target. Forwards Jordyn Huitema and Adriana Leon were relentless at the front, working off each other’s high energy and drive.

WATCH: Canadian players speak out against pay inequity:

Canadian women’s soccer players sound off on pay inequity

Members of Parliament were ‘gobsmacked’ at the testimony from the national women’s soccer team detailing the lack of funding, transparency and equality that they receive compared to the men’s teams, says a former women’s team player.

But this match was more about the mental state of the players. Both teams have been through complex in-house difficulties.

The Canadian players are battling Soccer Canada at a level no team should have to, but is more frequently the case with women’s sports, while the French team has been hit with a scandal of telenovela proportions. Having to shelve those issues and take to the pitch with poise and prowess takes impressive mental bandwidth. 

After a scoreless first half, France scored early in the second half off a perfect cross from Delphine to Grace Geyoro, who put it straight into the net.

Canada has struggled defensively in recent appearances, and Canadian goaltender Kailen Sheridan, normally a force with the San Diego Wave of the National Women’s Soccer League, had a moment of weakness on France’s second goal when her kick was intercepted and easily booted back into the empty net by Léa Le Garrec.

French goalkeeper Constance Picaud then had her own problems and Huitema’s quick feet put Canada on the board. Resilience in a nutshell. 

WATCH: Jordyn Huitema scores for Canada:

Jordyn Huitema scores in Canada’s loss to France

Jordyn Huitema scored Canada’s lone goal in a 2-1 loss to France in a friendly, held in Le Mans, France.

The fresh legs of Evelyne Viens, Clarissa Larrisey and the debut of Sydney Collins brought a new energy to the pitch for Canada. Perhaps a new branch of the team that has not yet faced the immense struggles the squad has faced in the past few years but has the wherewithal and the dedication to stand with the vets. 

The result was a 2-1 loss for Canada to les bleues, but considering what the women’s team has faced in the past few months — what Sinclair has called “the biggest battle” — the effort was top tier.

Of course I, like others, would have preferred if Canada didn’t have to be resilient. Is it too much to ask that they just continued to thrive after that unprecedented and much-celebrated, gold-medal win in Tokyo? The greatest moment in Canadian soccer history should have carried them to Australia where they will face the most formidable teams in the world. But, no. Canadian women have had to push through with a grit and a focus and a burden that they shouldn’t have to. 

The match against France is a reflection of how we should do better for women’s sports, and Canadian women in particular. They continue to toil and we schedule matches on nights where other events, such as the Toronto Blue Jays home opener, are deemed more important by many. 

But lessons learned during this FIFA window by this team are important and as Priestman said after the match, “I don’t mind losing as long as we learn.”

I certainly hope that we, too, have learned and adjust accordingly so the tenacity of the Canada women’s national team can be relegated to the pitch and the demands on their mental capacity isn’t drained before they go down under.