ANALYSIS – Olivia Smith was impressive in a dominant 5-1 CANWNT win over South Korea at the Pinatar Arena, in San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain. The South Koreans had trouble containing Smith, who had been in excellent form with the Liverpool F.C. Women’s club. There were also some spectacular performances from other players such as Ashley Lawrence and Emma Regan.
Olivia Smith Dominated in a 5-1 Win Over South Korea
Olivia Smith Looked Dangerous in Attack
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From the very get-go, Smith was a problem for the South Koreans. When looking at her goal, she outmuscled her opponent and put the ball into the back of the net. Some other examples include:
- Putting herself in the right position to score, which forced Lim Seon-joo to give up the own goal.
- Gabrielle Carle delivered a great pass to Smith very early in the game.
Also, at points of the game, many South Korean players were crowding and defending Smith to prevent her from progressing with the ball, which shows the type of talent that Smith possesses.
Ashley Lawrence and Emma Regan Showed Up
Ashley Lawrence was impressive against South Korea. While she did not get an assist, she did a fantastic job of connecting passes with teammates inside the box with some examples including:
- A pass to Smith inside the box.
- Delivering a pass to Deanne Rose.
Her passes were crisp and effective. Also, Emma Regan played very well today, holding the midfield line well for Canada and delivering forward and positive passes to Canada’s more attacking players.
Vanessa Gilles Continued Her Fantastic Year
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There is no CANWNT player that had a better 2024 than Vanessa Gilles, despite being a centre-back she scored four goals for the national team this year. This included scoring a fantastic header late in the game that basically clinched the game for Canada against the South Koreans.
Gilles also had an assist to Alidou’s goal, which was Alidou’s second national team goal this year.
This shows the growth in Gilles’ game, who came up big when it mattered such as scoring the game-winning goal against France deep into stoppage time in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Other Factors: Marie-Yasmine Alidou Continues to Shine
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Alidou scored her second goal in the last three games and will be a player to watch for the national team going forward. She has made a name for herself that she deserves a chance to play with the national team, with only time needed to see how far she progresses.
South Korea had trouble dealing with Canada’s relentless pressure and had trouble with keeping up with players such as D. Rose and Carle. It was a theme that became more apparent the more the game played out. They also had trouble generating scoring opportunities via open play, with their one goal coming from a set-piece following a corner.
This game also marks the end of 2024 for both South Korea and Canada. There has been a lot to talk about, bad and good with Canada. However, for now, it is all about 2025, which will be a quiet year, as there are no FIFA Women’s World Cup or Summer Olympic Games competitions to play in the FIFA calendar next year.
Photo Credit: CANWNT X Account on December 3, 2024.
