Defending champion Canada tops New Zealand 2-1 in Olympic soccer opener

Defending champion Canada tops New Zealand 2-1 in Olympic soccer opener | iNFOnews.ca
New Zealand's Indiah-Paige Riley, left, and Canada's Cloe Lacasse vie for the ball during the women's Group A soccer match between Canada and New Zealand at Geoffroy-Guichard stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Saint-Etienne, France. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Silvia Izquierdo

SAINT-ETIENNE, France – The Canadian women’s soccer team is opening the Paris Games with a 2-1 victory over New Zealand.

Cloe Lacasse and Evelyne Viens scored for the defending champions in the Group A opener at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium.

Mackenzie Barrie tallied early in the first half for New Zealand before Lacasse tied it late in first-half stoppage time. Viens scored the winner in the 79th minute after a brilliant pass by Canadian captain Jessie Fleming.

Assistant coach Andy Spence served as acting head coach for Canada after Bev Priestman volunteered to sit out.

Her decision came in the wake of a Canada Soccer drone scandal that resulted in two members of the team’s coaching staff being sent home and FIFA opening an investigation.

Canada will next play host France on Sunday.

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