Canada kicks off its Olympic qualifying tonight against Haiti. And while the real test for the women won't come until they face Costa Rica on their last day of the group stage, that doesn't mean that the minnows won't present their own challenges.
Canadian head coach John Herdman tipped his hand a bit to what you can expect from the women in the opening round and the style of play they anticipate from their opponents.
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"I think we can expect teams to drop off quite deep. They will drop off and put up those blocks early and try to hit us on the counter attack," Herdman said. "So a lot of work has been done around how to break down those blocks. And bring in a bit more fluidity to our game so we don't get stuck time and time again."
At the World Cup in Germany the women looked rigid and confused when they came up against the likes of France - who played with a tactically more skilled approach.
"Under the previous coach there was an emphasis towards possession football. There is an element to recognizing that possession without purpose can be devastating against you." Herdman said, referring to that France game. "Teams are waiting for you to have the problem of possession and catch us giving the ball away in the key areas. And it's about (our) players recognizing those moments and seeing when to take advantage or when to lay back."
Herdman has challenged his players to find new legs under his system and grow to play a more modern game.
"I think we've got the technicians in the team to play against the Mexicos and the Americans. Some of our players are growing a new skin and a new outlook on how to play the game," he said. "It has really invigorated them. They're look at the game now like can try things and they know they're not going to get blasted for it. Full backs are getting forward, understanding it's ok for them to get into the box and have a chance."
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