England ready to face Canada for bronze medal
England face Canada today in the biggest match of the lives
here at the World Championship.
Only three players from the current England squad have played
in a World Cup medal-winning match.
Sarah Butt has been a member of the England team which has
won two silvers and a bronze, but most notable top-scored
with a hat-trick as England beat Canada in the 2001 bronze
medal play-off in High Wycombe.
Defender Alex Harle (in 1997 and 2001) and attacker Katy
Bennett (2001) the only other two players to saver World Cup
success in years gone by.
And so for the rest of the team, who have now played seven
tough games, a victory here today would be the perfect end
to a tough and energy-sapping tournament.
Allison Smith, the promising 20-year-old attacker, has grown
in confidence as the Championship as progressed, so it's no
surprise that she is confident England can beat Canada.
"We know we can beat Canada, but we'll have to play
well to do it," said Smith.
"They will want revenge for when we beat them in pool
play, but we're confident of winning the bronze medal.
"It's definitely been a learning curve for me and lot
of the other players being our first World Cup, but we've
been improving as the tournament has gone on.
"We've played well and had some tough matches, just
like the Wales match (England won 6-5 in over-time), but we've
got one game to go and are going to give it everything.
"We've got nothing to lose. Canada are a tough side,
but we can beat them."
A view shared by team-mate Felicity Hermsen, the 26-year-old
midfielder, who feels England have a great chance of winning
honours.
"They will want to start well, but we'll be looking
to do the same," said Hermsen.
"We started really well against them in pool play and
led early, which helped us. We played with a lot of freedom
and confidence."
Indeed, and if England can repeat an 11-6 triumph here at
the Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium it will be the national
team's third successive bronze medal.
"It's the last game and we will be giving it our all.
It would be a dream to win a medal at the World Cup, something
which all of us (the players) have worked so hard to achieve.
"Canada are a good side, but we have beaten already
and that will give us confidence going into the match."
England head coach Lois Richardson has a few injury worries
ahead of the match, but which ever side she decides to fields,
she hopes they will perform as she knows they can.
"These girls are capable of winning a medal, but to
do we'll have to pull together as a team and give everything,"
said Richardson.
"Canada will want to beat us after we beat them in pool
play, but if we fight for everything and finish well we can
win the bronze medal."
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