MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A goal by West Virginia University rising junior Ashley Lawrence in the 10th minute helped the Canadian Women’s National Team to a 1-1 draw against Netherlands on Monday evening, at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, in the final match of Group A play at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Lawrence, a midfielder and native of Toronto, Ontario, connected on a deflected ball inside the penalty box and sent a left-footed low shot to the right corner, just out of the grasp of Dutch goalkeeper Loes Geurts.
The score was the first career goal for Lawrence with the senior national team. She is the first Canadian athlete other than captain Christine Sinclair to score a goal at a World Cup match since 2007. Having celebrated her 20th birthday just five days ago, Lawrence also is the third-youngest Canadian to register a goal.
Lawrence tallied a match-best five shots, including a team-high two on goal in 90 minutes of action.
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Several Mountaineers, including coach Nikki Izzo-Brown, were in attendance Monday evening to cheer on Ashley Lawrence and Kadeisha Buchanan.
(Photo from Nikki Izzo-Brow)
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Lawrence’s WVU classmate, defender Kadeisha Buchanan, helped the Canadian defense weather a storm of Dutch opportunities. Kristen Van de Ven finally put the Netherlands on the board in the 87th minute, the only score the Canadians allowed in the group stage.
Lawrence and Buchanan have played the full 90 minutes in all three of Canada’s matches.
Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown, along with associate head coach Lisa Stoia, assistant coach Marisa Kanela and several current student-athletes, including seniors Amanda Hill and Kailey Utley, and Montreal native Amandine Pierre-Louis, were among the 40,000 fans who witnessed the goal.
“It was an incredible atmosphere inside the stadium with more than 40,000 fans cheering on their country,” said Izzo-Brown. “There was so much at stake for both teams, so the intensity level was extreme.
“I am so proud and happy to have shared two amazing performances with Ashley and Kadeisha (Buchanan). Sharing Ashley’s goal with her and my staff was a really special moment and one I will forever treasure. Also, to watch Keisha navigate and lead the back line like she always does was priceless.”
Canada advances to the knockout stage for only the second time in six tries, standing atop Group A with five points (1 W, 2 D). The Canadians will meet a third-place team from Group C, D or E on Sunday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m. ET, at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“Top of the group – that’s a job well done,” said Canadian coach John Herdman at his post-match press conference. “We wanted to finish first so that we could return to BC Place. The team continues to fight hard. The Netherlands were amazing, and I’m pretty sure we all put on a great show for the fans here today. I’m very proud of all these young players. But we know that we need to work on a few things, because the games that are coming up will be even harder.”
