Canada’s women’s soccer team struggles in a shutout loss to Japan

Canada slumped to its fourth straight defeat on Saturday, blanked 3-0 by Japan in a women’s soccer friendly.

Momoko Tanikawa, Mina Tanaka and Oba Fujino scored for eighth-ranked Japan, who dominated the game at the 20,000-capacity Pace Stadium.

Ninth-ranked Canada was kicked out for most of the game and it was one-way traffic for long stretches.

The two teams meet again on Tuesday at the Transcosmos Stadium in Nagasaki in nearby Isahaya.

The Japan games are the last of the year for the Canadians, who fell to 6-5-1 in 2025.

Canada will look to turn things around, following 1-0 losses to 24th-ranked Switzerland and 11th-ranked Netherlands last month, following a disappointing 3-0 loss to second-ranked USA in July.

The Canadians have not scored in 364 minutes since Emma Regan’s 86th-minute goal in a 4-1 win over Costa Rica on June 27 in Toronto.

Japan had the better of the first half and Tanikawa put the home side ahead in the 43rd minute, capping a streak that saw Canada defend hard as centre-back Jade Rose blocked two shots.

Japan kept the ball in play, sending it back into the penalty box for an unmarked Tanikawa to poke home.

The game started with a foul from Canadian goalkeeper Kylen Sheridan.

The Canadian ‘keeper was at fault again in the 51st minute, holding on to the ball under pressure from Tanaka after taking a back pass in front of the goal. The Utah Royals forward took advantage, outmaneuvering the ‘keeper and slotting the ball into the empty net from close range.

Canada’s defense was open again in the 58th minute, with a pass from Tanikawa finding an unmarked Fujino in the box. His shot went through Sheridan.

Assistant coach Natalie Henderson was on the Canadian sideline with head coach Casey Stoney back in England with her ailing mother. Henderson also took charge of the team when Stoney was absent from a May 31 friendly against Haiti in Winnipeg due to his mother’s cancer diagnosis.

The Japanese starting eleven included eight players from England clubs.

Canada was dangerous early on, turning the ball over on several occasions. Fujino came close in the eighth minute, firing a shot over the crossbar from distance.

A Canadian corner in the 30th minute caused some trouble in the Japanese penalty box, but did not produce a shot on goal. Canadian fullback Marie Levasseur’s shot went into the side netting in the 38th minute.

Japan beat Canada 9-2 (3-0 on goals). Vancouver Rise forward Holly Ward, earning her sixth cap, was the most effective Canadian in the first 45 minutes. And the Japanese were coming in the second half.

There were five changes to Canada’s starting lineup that faced Switzerland on October 28, with Sheridan, Levasseur, midfielder Sammy Awojo and forwards Nichelle Prince and Ward joining.

Canada’s starting 11, which included two Northern Super League players in AFC Toronto’s Regan and Vancouver’s Ward, went into the match with a combined 702 caps. Captain Jesse Fleming, one of the team’s four centurions, earned his 150th cap.

Jordyn Huitema, Julia Grosso, Evelyne Viens, Sydney Collins, Florianne Jourde and Vanessa Gilles came on for Canada in the second half, making her first appearance since defeating the U.S. in July.

Canada went 4-9-4 all-time against Japan. The Canadians haven’t beaten Japan since March 2018, when they prevailed 2-0 at the Algarve Cup, and have won just one of the last eight meetings (1-6-1).

Canada is without star forward Olivia Smith, at the request of her English club. Arsenal did not want Smith, who suffered a hip injury playing for Canada last month, to make the long trip to Japan.

His absence led to a first senior call-up for DB Pradham, the NSL’s player of the year. But the Ottawa Rapid star, born to Canadian parents in California, is unable to participate in the Japan Games because she could not get a Canadian passport in time.

“The situation will be resolved upon DB’s return to Canada at the end of this window,” Canada Soccer said in a social media post.

A dual citizen, Purdham traveled on his American passport.

Canada was missing injured Kadeisha Buchanan, Gabby Carle and Lysianne Proulx. Utah Royals forward Chloe Lacasse, while back from a knee injury in October 2024, is not expected to rejoin Canada until next year.

Annabelle Chukwu (Notre Dame) and Kayla Briggs (Michigan State University) were not available for selection through mutual agreements with their colleges.

Japan lost 2-0 to No. 13 Norway and drew 1-1 with No. 12 Italy in the October international window. While the Japanese women won the She Belize Cup in February, closing the tournament 2-1 over the United States, they come into the Canada match with just one win in their last eight matches (1-4-3).

Japan have not lost on home soil since a 3-1 defeat by Sweden in the Olympic quarter-finals in July 2021. Sweden lost to Canada in the Olympic final.