Two defensive howlers saw England Lionesses fall to a 2-0 defeat against Canada Women in their last international friendly before Hege Riise names Team GB Olympics squad.
Evelyne Viens fired Canada in front halfway through the third minute after pouncing on a poor backpass from Demi Stokes to poke in.
England soon afterwards began to dominate the game as Georgia Stanway and Jordan Nobbs both produced the Lionesses’ best chances throughout the match.
Nichelle Prince eventually came on off the bench and nicked a 86th minute poke-in to wrap up victory for Canada, after pouncing on a fumble of Millie Bright’s backpass by Karen Bardsley.
England have now won just one of their three friendly fixtures under Riise who is now set to name her Team GB squad for the Olympics in coming weeks.
Canada were without Christine Sinclair after the striker suffered a foot injury in Friday’s friendly win in Wales.
Despite finding themselves without Christine Sinclair due to a foot injury, Canada struck first as Viens intercepted a poor backpass from Demi Stokes to poke in beyond Telford from close range after just three minutes.
Stanway was the first to go closest for England as she saw two strikes in three minutes fly wide of goal, as England soon began to dominate against a resolute Canadian defence.
Fran Kirby set up the Lionesses’ best chance when she found herself fouled just outside the box by Shelina Zadorsky, earning the hosts a free-kick which Nobbs forced a flick over from Stephanie Labbe before Stanway blasted over from the resulting corner kick.
Both teams then saw chances go to waste towards half time with Quinn going closest for the visitors, blasting towards goal from 25 yards to force Telford to punch over, with the resulting corner cleared as the visitors held an one goal lead at the break.
Canada’s Jessie Fleming produced the first chance of the second half as she fired wide from outside the box in the 49th minute, before Bethany England went close just two minutes later as her header was saved by Labbe to deny the hosts an equalising goal.
The second half eventually settled into a series of scrappy battles, in which Prince went closest on the counter-attack for Canada but Bardsley saved her shot.
England eventually found themselves on top entering the last ten minutes as Lauren Hemp intercepted Vanessa Gilles and broke, only for the Bordeaux defender to recover with a left leg block of Hemp’s shot.
Both players soon afterwards clashed heads when leaping to meet the ball, with both players available to continue following treatment as Hemp suffered a nasty gash during the collision.
Canada eventually struck the decisive blow to seal victory as a backpass from Bright caught Bardsley out, allowing Prince to race in and nick the ball off the American-born goalkeeper and tap in to wrap up victory.
Nobbs and Lucy Bronze saw late chances at rescuing consolatory goal blocked as Labbe comfortably saved their shots, which ensured that Canada have won two of three friendly trips to England this century.
Teams
England
Starting line-up; Carly Telford (Bardsley 45′), Rachel Daly (Bronze 64′), Demi Stokes (Greenwood 32′), Millie Bright, Leah Williamson, Georgia Stanway, Jordan Nobbs, Nikita Parris (White 80′), Fran Kirby (Toone 45′), Bethany England (Kelly 64′), Lauren Hemp
Subs; Karen Bardsley (GK), Sandy Mclver (GK), Ellie Roebuck (GK), Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, Millie Turner, Alex Greenwood, Chloe Kelly, Jill Scott, Ellen White, Ella Toone, Beth Mead, Niamh Charles, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Esme Morgan
Canada
Starting line-up: Stephanie Labbe (GK), Allysha Chapman, Shelina Zadorsky, Ashley Lawrence, Vanessa Gilles, Jessie Fleming, Quinn (Schmidt 82′), Desiree Scott (Riviere 66′), Janine Beckie, Evelyne Viens (Huitema 59′), Deanne Rose (Prince 59′)
Subs: Erin McLeod (GK), Rylee Foster (GK), Jade Rose, Lindsay Agnew, Gabrielle Carle, Jayde Riviere, Julia Grosso, Sophie Schmidt, Jordyn Listro, Samantha Chang, Sarah Stratigakis, Cloe Lacasse, Jenna Hellstorm, Jordyn Huitema, Nichelle Prince,
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