Olympic quest starts early for Canada's soccer team

Canada not looking past Argentina

Last Updated: Tuesday, August 5, 2008 | 8:45 PM ET

CBC Sports

Clare Rustad, Martina Franko and Randee Hermus, left to right, hope to help the Canadian women's soccer team achieve success in Beijing. (J.P. Moczulski/Canadian Press)

The Canadian women's soccer team will make its first Olympic appearance, as well as kick off the 2008 Beijing Games, against Argentina on Wednesday (CBC, 4:45 a.m. ET).

Canada, the ninth-ranked squad according to FIFA's world rankings, will make its Olympic debut in Tianjin, about 120 kilometres southeast of Beijing.

"The first few minutes there will be a lot of emotion," said keeper Erin McLeod. "There will be nerves.

"Once the game gets going and everyone touches the ball, we'll be fine."

Soccer is the only sport that will begin before the Olympic opening ceremonies on Friday. Canada's opener will be among six women's games in all on Wednesday, with eight Olympic men's soccer matches taking place the next day.

When the butterflies subside, Canada will have to guard against overconfidence, having beaten Argentina 5-0 at the Peace Queen Cup in South Korea in June.

Even Pellerud, who will bow out as coach after the Games, said at the time that the score was flattering to his squad.

The women were up just 1-0 at halftime on midfielder Diana Matheson's goal before bursting out in the second half. Christine Sinclair scored twice, with Brittany Timko scoring near the end of the game. Melissa Tancredi also scored, in addition to setting up both goals by Sinclair.

"Argentina is a team you have to take seriously," Pellerud said earlier this week. "Every time you see them, they are stronger. We have beaten them before and our confidence should be right."

Canada also plays China, Sweden

Canada plays China on Saturday in Tianjin, then faces Sweden on Aug. 12 at Beijing Workers' Stadium.

The top two teams in each of the three Olympic groups advance to the quarter-finals, with the next two best teams squeezing into contention.

While all the cards will have to fall in place for Canada to play for a medal, the squad is feeling confident.

The women lost in the last minute in the Peace Queen final against the United States, and drew 1-1 with a Marta-less Brazil side last month in Toronto.

The sting of the 2007 World Cup in China is also fresh for many of the players.

Canada hopes to avoid a repeat of the late-game breakdowns that resulted in a loss to Norway and a stunning draw against Australia, which eliminated Canada from the tournament.

In addition to the players who got on the scoresheet in the June game against Argentina, Canada will have other veterans to provide leadership, including defenders Randee Hermus and Clare Rustad, and midfielder Kara Lang.

Sinclair will be the focal opponent for Canada's opponents. She scored her record 93rd goal for the national team, its only goal, in an exhibition draw against New Zealand in Singapore on July 26.

The following day, the Canadian women drubbed Singapore 8-0, with Hermus, Rustad and Timko among those scoring.

Jodi-Ann Robinson scored twice in the rout. The 18-year-old from Richmond, B.C., has since been called on to replace injured forward Amber Allen on the Olympic roster.