BEFORE WINNIPEG Fu.. post; here it is:
Canadians win soccer opener
The Canadian women's soccer team performed as expected on Wednesday, defeating Trinidad and Tobago 6-0 at the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in Juarez, Mexico.
Trinidad goal-keep Kimika Forbes did well to hold her opponents to just six goals, as the Canadian offence led by Melissa Tancredi and Christine Sinclair nearly scored on several other occasions.
Tancredi opened the scoring four minutes into the match on a cross from Rhian Wilkinson, and Jonelle Filigno and Kara Lang brought the tally to 3-0 before the half.
Randee Hermus and Jodi-Ann Robinson added goals in the second half, while Sinclair closed the scoring with her 86th goal, the most of any Canadian player, so that six different members of the team kicked in a goal apiece on the night.
The drubbing redeemed Canadian coach Even Pellerud's confidence entering the tournament and fuelled hope that the squad might earn its first-ever Olympic berth this year.
The women play their second match of the two-game round robin against Costa Rica on Sunday (CBCSports.ca, 1 p.m. ET).
The Canadians are favoured to advance to the semi-final, where they would face one of the top teams from Group A, made up of the United States, Mexico and Jamaica.
Fans are hoping for a re-match with host team Mexico, which ruined Canada's Olympic ambitions in 2004 by eliminating the women from the Athens qualifier.
With files from Canadian Press
