Women's Soccer Olympic Updates: Gold Medal a First for Canadian Program
8/6/2021 1:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer, Olympics
• Tokyo Olympics Site | U-M Olympics Coverage
Friday, Aug. 6
Canada 1, Sweden 1 (Canada wins on penalty kicks, 3-2)
Michigan junior Jayde Riviere and former Wolverine Shelina Zadorsky helped Canada take home the women's soccer Olympic gold medal Friday night (Aug. 6) in Japan with a 3-2 win in the penalty shootout over Sweden after the teams ended 120 minutes of play tied 1-1 at International Stadium Yokohama.
Riviere came on as a substitute three minutes into the first session of extra time and logged 27 minutes in her traditional defensive role. Zadorsky checked in as a substitute in the 120th minute and played just under a minute of match time against Sweden. It is the second Olympic medal for Zadorsky, who won a bronze in 2016 at the Rio Games.
Sweden controlled much of the first half and opened the scoring in the 34th minute with a goal from Stina Blackstenius. Canada, outshot 24-14 on the match, earned a penalty kick upon review in the 67th minute, and Jessie Fleming converted to tie the match. After two scoreless extra-time sessions, penalties were knotted at 2-2 before Julia Grosso converted to give Canada the 3-2 victory in the penalty shootout.
The win marks the first gold medal in women's soccer for Canada. It was the first gold-medal match in Olympic history to go to penalty kicks as well as the first to go to extra time since 2008.
Riviere, in her first Olympic Games, and Zadorsky helped Canada to a 1-0-2 record in group play, highlighted by a 2-1 win over Chile on July 24. Tied 0-0 after extra time in the quarterfinal round, the Canadians defeated Brazil 4-3 on penalties (July 30) to advance to the semifinals, where they knocked off the United States 1-0 on Aug. 2.
As a whole Riviere played the full 90 minutes against Chile and Great Britain (July 27), as well as 19 minutes in a reserve role against Brazil. Zadorsky played full matches against Chile and Great Britain before not featuring in the matches vs. Brazil and the United States.
• Jayde Riviere: 27 minutes
• Shelina Zadorsky: 0+ minutes
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
• Riviere, Zadorsky Strike Olympic Gold as Canada Prevails in Penalty Shootout
Shelina Zadorsky celebrates Jessie Fleming's (17) penalty kick goal (Getty Images)
Monday, Aug. 2
Canada 1, United States 0
Canada advanced the gold-medal match of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by knocking off the favored United States by a 1-0 count at Ibaraki Kashima Stadium. The match was scoreless for the first 73 minutes of action before Jesse Fleming converted a penalty kick in the 74th minute to decide the contest. U-M alumna Shelina Zadorsky was selected for the squad list but did not see action. Rising junior Jayde Riviere was suspended from the match due to yellow-card accumulation but will be eligible for selection in the gold-medal match vs. Sweden, a 1-0 winner over Australia in the second semifinal. The final has been rescheduled for 8 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 6 (9 p.m. in Japan) at International Stadium Yokohama.
• Jayde Riviere: Suspended (yellow-card accumulation)
• Shelina Zadorsky: Did not play
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Friday, July 30
Canada 0, Brazil 0 (Canada advances on penalty kicks, 4-3)
Canada advanced to the semifinals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after outscoring Brazil 4-3 in penalty kicks following a scoreless 120 minutes of play at Miyagi Stadium. Christine Sinclair stepped up first for Canada and did not convert, and Marta converted for Brazil to put them up 1-0. Canada made its next three shot attempts to bring the score to an even 3-3 with two shots remaining for Brazil. Goaltender Stephanie Labbe came up with back-to-back massive saves for Canada on the final two attempts for Brazil, while Vanessa Gilles made the fifth and final shot to assure Canada will play for a medal. Rising junior Jayde Riviere entered the match in the 107th minute for Canada, while alumna Shelina Zadorsky did not see playing time. Canada will play the United States, which also advanced on PKs, in the semifinal round Monday (Aug. 2) at 4 a.m. EDT (5 p.m. in Japan) at Ibaraki Kashima Stadium.
• Jayde Riviere: 11 minutes (entered in 107th minute)
• Shelina Zadorsky: Did not play
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Tuesday, July 27
Canada 1, Great Britain 1
Canada was the first to strike against Great Britain in its final game of pool play Tuesday night (July 27) at Ibaraki Kashima Stadium. Ashley Lawrence brought the ball up the field and pushed it across the box to Adriana Leon, who buried the ball in the back of the net in the 55th minute of the match. Canada held off Great Britain until the 85th minute, when it found the equalizer. Canada had one final opportunity in the 90th minute with a cross in the box, but the ball would not find an offensive player and turned into a Great Britain goal kick. Current Michigan junior Jayde Riviere made vital plays on the defensive end of the field, coming up with a huge stop in the 22nd minute of the match, while alumna Shelina Zadorsky did not see action. Canada (1-0-2, 5 points) finished second in Group E behind Great Britain (2-0-1, 7 points) and will move on to the quarterfinals to face Group F runner-up Brazil on Friday (July 30) at 5 p.m. Japan time (4 a.m. EDT) at Miyagi Stadium in Rifu.
• Jayde Riviere: 90 minutes
• Shelina Zadorsky: Did not play
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Jayde Riviere (8) in her Olympic debut vs. Chile (Canada Soccer photo)
Saturday, July 24
Canada 2, Chile 1
In its second game of the Olympic Games, Canada got a much-needed 2-1 victory over Chile behind two goals from Janine Beckie. In the 39th minute, Beckie picked up a rebound in the middle of the box and ripped it into the center of the net to allow Canada to take a 1-0 lead in the first half. Following the halftime break, Beckie timed a perfect run into the box off a Nichelle Prince lob to give Canada the 2-0 advantage over Chile. Chile cut the lead to one when it capitalized on penalty kick, but the Canadian defense warded off Chile for the remainder of the match to earn its first win of the 2020 Olympic Games. Current Michigan junior Jayde Riviere made her Olympic debut, earning the start and playing all 90 minutes on defense, while U-M alumna Shelina Zadorsky also played the entire match. Canada (1-0-1) will close out Group E round-robin action against Great Britain (2-0-0) on Tuesday (July 27) at 8 p.m. Japan time (7 a.m. EDT).
• Jayde Riviere: 90 minutes
• Shelina Zadorsky: 90 minutes
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Wednesday, July 21
Canada 1, Japan 1
Canada opened the 2020 Olympic Games with a 1-1 tie against Japan Wednesday morning (July 21) at the Sapporo Dome. Canada took the first-half lead with a goal from Christine Sinclair before Shelina Zadorsky warded off two potential goal opportunities in the box. Starting keeper Stephanie Labbe came up big with a penalty-kick save in the second half before being subbed out due to injury, and Japan scored the game-tying goal in the 84th minute of play. With eight minutes of extra time, neither team was able to find the golden goal, ending Canada's opening match of the Olympic Games in a 1-1 draw. Zadorsky started and played the entire match, while Jayde Riviere did not see action.
• Shelina Zadorsky: 90 minutes
• Jayde Riviere: Did not play
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
