Redemption!

As many of you who follow my little musings will know I am a staunch Canadian.  A promoter if you will of our way of life and our culture.

One thing that is deep in our marrow is the fact that we will not quit.  From being shock troopers in the first and second world wars.  To besting the world with sometimes antiquated equipment (the schooner Bluenose) to winning bronze at in Olympic soccer today at the London 2012 games.

After a hard fought match filled with controversy and lactic acid our fine ladies Canadian national team brought home our first medal in soccer EVER!  Yes it was a bronze, but just think about this for a second.  Hmmmmmm.  When you think of Canada what do you think of.  For me personally soccer doesn’t exactly leap off the page.  I think hockey, snow, beer, incredibly sexy ladies and a warm and relaxed people.

Diana Matheson battles France’s Gaetane Thiney for the ball in the 2012 bronze medal soccer match. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

These talented and incredibly resilient women brought home not just the bronze medal but also a huge amount of pride to our humble nation.  The talk everywhere at work today was, have they started yet, what’s the score, who are we playing, did we win?

Diana Matheson puts the ball in seconds away from overtime! (AP Photo/Jon Super)

No one had to ask what the conversation was about we were all on the same mental wavelength.

This game was all about the defenders, France by all accounts out shot us by a huge margin but failed to find the back of the net.  Goal keeper Erin McLeod and Winnipeg’s own Desiree Scott had brilliant games keeping the score nil to nil until the dying minutes of regular time.

This picture says it all! Canada wins! (Jean Levac/Postmedia Olympic Team)

Diana Matheson potted home the lone goal of the game with ten seconds remaining before a grueling overtime would be required.

It’s not gold and it’s not silver but yet these fine ladies managed to do what so many other teams could not.  They found the podium and they found it with pride.

Good on you girls, you did yourselves and your nation proud.
You may have only won bronze but you’re as good as gold to all of us back home!

Playing for bronze.

 

I just finished watching the women’s soccer match today pitting an underdog Canadian squad vs the American number one ranked team.  No one expected much of a match from Canada.  Let’s face it we haven’t beaten team USA in almost a decade on the soccer pitch.

But let me tell you something just the same, today our women in white gave the Red White and Blue a run that they will probably never forget.  We held our ground in the middle and in the ends, we withstood horrible calls and still fought on.

Canada was not expected to show up let alone perform at these games and yet the courageous women on the pitch took one, two and three goals vs the American squad. Something that had not yet happened in these games.

Christine Sinclair flies on the pitch in London!

Corners, elbows and rough play became clear in the match as it became personal.  Words were exchanged, Canada struck first, then again and again. Only to be matched by the United States.

Extra time was called, and penalty shots loomed but still Canada persisted.
Like a pesky mutt chewing at your leg, Canada kept punching above its weight. Striving for a win and a hope for Gold.  We kept fighting and fighting and will yet again.

Alas in the last-minute of extra time America headed a shot into our goal.  But against all odds Canada stood tall and shoved back we did not go easily into the dark of night.  We will fight for bronze and we will give it our all, and if we play our best we will win.

After all for Canada it’s not about winning all the big matches, we are a big nation but a humble people.  It’s about punching the elephant in the nose when it’s about to roll over on the mouse.   It may one day squish us, but it’s sure going to feel sore about doing it.

Way to go, Christine, Melissa, and all the rest of you.  I watched you battle and I lived and cried with you all.
GO Canada GO!

Related articles

• Canadians lose heartbreaker to U.S. in women’s soccer semi (cbc.ca)
• Women’s Olympic soccer: Canada vs USA live (o.canada.com)
• Olympics 2012: U.S. women’s soccer team falls behind Canada in first half (aol.sportingnews.com)
• Canada loses 4-3 heartbreaker to Americans (insidehalton.com)
• Olympics: Monday’s U.S.-Canada soccer semifinal (staradvertiser.com)
• Canada falls 4-3 to the mighty Americans to miss out on gold medal game (lfpress.com)