Jessie Fleming scored her first senior goal for Canada in the Cyprus Cup opener against Scotland. (Photo: Canada Soccer)
The Cyprus Cup kicked off on Wednesday with all 12 teams in action. Check back for updates throughout the day.
Canada 2-0 Scotland (Group A)
Jessie Fleming’s first goal for Canada’s senior team came one week before her 17th birthday, helping Canada open the Cyprus Cup with a 2-0 win over Scotland. Christine Sinclair also stayed in striking form, scoring her fifth goal in as many games this year for Canada.
Here's the #canWNT XI: McLeod (GK), Buchannan, Moscato, Wilkinson, Belanger, Scott, Sinclair (c), Schmidt, Tancredi, Chapman, Fleming,
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) March 4, 2015
TEAM NEWS | Starting 11 for our first @CyprusCup2015 game v @CanadaSoccerEN #SWNT #WeAreScotland pic.twitter.com/eAvNEGr1Yt
— Scottish FA (@ScottishFA) March 4, 2015
England 3-1 Finland (Group B)
Former U.S. club players Lianne Sanderson and Eniola Aluko scored in each half and only a late penalty prevented Carly Telford from keeping a clean sheet in the Group B opener. Sanderson fired the two-time champions on top 21 minutes in on a cross by Alex Greenwood. Aluko made it 2-0 in the 66th minute and Jess Clarke put it out of reach in the 83rd.
England lost Gemma Bonner in the 89th minute when she was shown a red card for taking down Finnish sub Annika Kukkonen. Captain Maija Saari slotted home the penalty for 3-1 and Bonner will have to skip Friday’s match against Australia.
England: 21 Carly Telford; 3 Demi Stokes; 12 Gemma Bonner; 6 Laura Bassett (Alex Scott, 62); 14 Alex Greenwood; 18 Jade Moore;, 16 Fara Williams (C); 4 Jo Potter; 19 Jess Clarke; 20 Eniola Aluko; 22 Lianne Sanderson
Finland: 1 Minna Meriluoto; 2 Maija Saari (C); 3 Tuija Hyyrynen (Sanni Franssi, 80); 5 Emma Koivisto; 8 Katri Nokso-Koivisto (Annika Kukkonen, 62; 9 Juliette Kemppi; 10 Emmi Alanen; 11 Nora Heroum; 15 Natalia Kuikka (Katarina Naumanen, 80); 16 Anna Westerlund; 19 Adelina Engman
Australia 1-0 Netherlands (Group B)
Larissa Crummer’s goal in the 73rd minute off a pass from Lisa De Vanna stood up as the game-winner to lift Australia past the Netherlands, a team viewed as a dark horse to make a run at this year’s World Cup.
Netherlands starting XI: Geurts, van Lunteren, van der Gragt, van den Berg, Worm, Dekker, Melis, Spitse, Van De Ven, v.d. Donk & Martens
— Westfield Matildas (@TheMatildas) March 4, 2015
Here's our starting XI:Davey, Uzunlar, Polkinghorne, Catley, Kellond-Knight, Polias, Van-Egmond, Gorry, K.Simon, Heyman & De Vanna #NEDvAUS
— Westfield Matildas (@TheMatildas) March 4, 2015
Mexico 2 – 0 South Africa (Group C)
Charlyn Corral opened the scoring for Mexico in the 53rd minute and Stephany Mayor doubled the lead 13 minutes later to get Mexico off on the right foot to start the Cyrpus Cup.
Mexico: 1.- Cecilia Santiago, 2.- Arianna Romero, 3.- Bianca Sierra, 4.- Christina Murillo, 5.- Valeria Miranda; 7.- Nayeli Rangel, 16.- Jenny Ruíz, 15.- Carolina Jaramillo, 10.- Stephanny Mayor, 11.- Mónica Ocampo y 9.- Charlyn Corral.
South Africa: 1.-Roxanne Barker, 2.- Lebogang Ramalepe, 3.- Nothando Vilakazu, 4.- Noko Matlou, 5.- Janine Van Wyn, 9.- Amanda Dlamini, 12.- Portia MOdise, 14.-Sanah Mollo, 15.- Refiloe Jane, 17.- Leandra Smeda y 18.- Nompumelelo Nyandeni.
Korea Republic 1 – 2 Italy (Group A)
A team headed to the World Cup opened the Cyprus Cup with a loss to the last European team to miss out on the World Cup. Barbara Bonansea put Italy ahead five minutes in, but Ji So-yun equalized three minutes later for Korea Republic. Alia Guagni scored the game-winner for Italy in the 57th minute.
