WATCH: Alyssa Naeher Comes Up Huge as USWNT Settles for Tie Over Canada in Return to BC Place
U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made a fingertip save late in Thursday's game at BC Place—the first game the USWNT had played there since winning the 2015 World Cup over Japan—to preserve a 1-1 draw with Canada in a game that was low on fluidity and high on misplaced passes and failure to clear balls in the box for both teams.
The result made it only the seventh time these two teams have tied in 57 games and the USWNT have Naeher to thank for that.
Despite the USWNT scoring first, the Canadians always looked the likelier to run away with the game, as they constantly found themselves in good positions around in the U.S. box but the final ball just seemed to elude them. But the Canadians got their break in the 57th minute as a curling shot blasted off the underside of the crossbar, the USWNT failed to clear and Christine Sinclair put the ball at the far post for Adriana Leon to finish for the equalizer.
It wasn't a banner night for good defensive play in the box as Canada's failure to clear the first ball led to the opening goal of the game by Alex Morgan.
The USWNT—after a series of substitutions that brought on Carli Lloyd and Christen Press—imposed some more of their attacking power on Canada for the remainder of the game but neither team was able to find a breakthrough goal. The USWNT now have a 47-3-7 record against Canada, with the Canadians last win coming in 2001.
The two teams will meet in the back half of the home-and-home series at Avaya Stadium on Nov. 12.
