June 25, 2006 Women's International Friendly Canada vs Italy (from Canada Press Story)

Canadian women beat Italy
By LORI EWING

TORONTO (CP) - Canada's plan Sunday was to strike early. The Canadians couldn't have orchestrated it any better.

Charmaine Hooper's goal in only the second minute of the game proved to be the winner as Canada's women's soccer team beat Italy 2-1 in a friendly at Centennial Stadium.

"What we really needed to do was go out there early and pressure them and capture them by surprise, and I think we did," said Hooper.

The game marked Canada's first victory over Italy and the first of a number of international matches the Canadians will play in their march back to the World Cup.

"It's nice to get another international game in and to win is very important because I think one of the things this team needs to do is learn how to win when we have to," said striker Christine Sinclair. "Our team, you can see we're starting to come together, starting to play better as a team."

The victory came without one of the team's biggest stars in Kara Lang. The 19-year-old striker tore her anterior cruciate ligament 10 days ago in training camp and is expected to be out for up to eight months.

Canada actually got on the scoreboard in the first minute Sunday, after Italy's Cristina Cassanelli headed in an own goal to put Canada up 1-0.

The veteran Hooper made it 2-0 in the second minute in her 129th international appearance, one-timing a cross from Sinclair from just outside the six-yard box.

"It was obvious that they weren't ready because I was all alone in the box," said Hooper. "Christine Sinclair was able to play a great ball across. There was a turnover before that that got that cross. (My teammates) did all the work, all I had to do was play the ball right in the goal."

Italy finally got on the scoreboard in the 32nd minute on a penalty kick from captain Tatiana Zorri, the result of a rough tackle in the box by Canadian defender Christine Latham.

The No. 11-ranked Canadians were all over 10th-ranked Italy in the second half, much to the delight of the crowd of 4,325, dotted with young girls with painted faces and decked out in Canadian soccer jersies.

"It was a great crowd, it's always nice to play in Canada, we don't have enough games in Canada," said Hooper.

The Canadians peppered Italian 'keeper Carla Brunozzi with shot after shot, one of the best scoring chances coming in the 48th minute when Latham sent a header just over the top of the net off a free kick. The 38-year-old Hooper nearly scored her second of the game in the 67th minute, with a hard volley off a cross from Wilkinson that sailed just wide of the net.

Canada outshot Italy 16-6 for the game, and 11-2 in the second half.

"We started strong and finished strong," said head coach Even Pellerud.

Sunday's friendly was the first of a string of international matches Pellerud has planned this summer in Canada's preparations for World Cup qualifying. A top-two finish at the Gold Cup in November will assure the Canadians a berth in the 2007 World Cup in China.

The team will be without Lang for throughout the qualifying period at least. The Oakville, Ont., native said she injured her right knee going up for a ball and landing awkwardly. She'll have surgery in mid-July in Vancouver, where she plays for the Whitecaps.

"When it happened (I knew it was serious), because me and everyone else on the field heard the pop," said Lang. "It was definitely a little bit scary."

Lang, who sat on the bench Sunday with her right knee packed in ice, vows to be back in time for the World Cup.

"This was probably the most disappointing thing that's ever happened to me so far. But it's not a career-ending injury, it's just a long process of rehabilitation," said Lang, who has 23 goals in 52 appearances for Canada. "It's just disappointing that I have to be out for so long."

Canada finished fourth at the 2003 World Cup, but failed to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The game was Canada's first in Toronto since a friendly here against Norway in 2002.

The Canadians last played together in March in a two-game series against the Netherlands. Canada won both games, 3-1 in Victoria and 1-0 in Vancouver.

Canada had played Italy four times before, losing three and tying one.

NOTES: Sinclair, who led the University of Portland to a perfect season and the U.S college title, is one of five finalists for the 2006 Honda-Broderick Cup as the top female athlete in the NCAA.

"It's unexpected but it's quite an honour and to see the list of the people that have won it before. . . it's just an honour to be nominated," said Sinclair. The winner will be announced in a news conference Monday.

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