Arthur Elias debuts in the national team with victory and Cristiane’s return – 10/28/2023 – Sport

Coach Arthur Elias made his debut at the head of the Brazilian women’s football team with a victory against the current Olympic champions from Canada, 1-0, in Montreal, this Saturday (28). Debinha scored the only goal of the match, in the 48th minute of the second half.

In the first of two friendlies against the old acquaintances FIFA on this date, the Brazilian team had the return of striker Cristiane, 38, who took to the field for the national team for the first time in two years, eight months and four days, in front of 19,619 fans at the Saputo stadium.

Wearing the number 9 shirt, Cris was among the starters, alongside Geyse and Adriana in attack. The lineup was completed by goalkeeper Letícia; Tamires, Rafaelle, Lauren and Antonia in defense, and Ary Borges, Luana and captain Marta in midfield.

Brazil put a lot of pressure on Bev Priestmann’s team, with 15 shots on goal, 9 of them on target, but only managed to get past goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan in second-half stoppage time. Debinha, who only came on in the second half, kicked hard from the half-moon, the ball deflected off the two Canadian defenders and made life difficult for Sheridan, who still managed to get his glove on the ball, but with no chance of stopping it.

Canada, in turn, only had three shots with any danger, two in the first half and one in the second, with Nichelle Prince, Adriana Leon and defender Vanessa Gilles. This had a goal disallowed, in the 26th minute of the first half, due to offside.

Elias, 42, former Corinthians coach, joins the national team with an eye on the Olympic Games, less than nine months before the start of the competition in Paris. His signing was announced in early September, following the dismissal of Pia Sundhage following the team’s disappointing World Cup performance in Australia and New Zealand.

Last month, the coach used his first FIFA date to train at Granja Comary with 30 athletes, nine of them from Corinthians.

Brazil is already qualified for the Olympics. At the Tokyo Games, in 2021, the team stopped against Canada, in the quarterfinals, on penalties.

To the press, on Thursday (26), Cris said her goal was to be among those called up for Paris. “[Quero] try to be part of the group that will compete in the Olympics and, once again, experience, for me particularly, this last dream with the Brazilian team and with the girls”, said the Santos striker. “My dedication will be greater than which it already is, precisely because I have this plan to be together with this group here for next year’s Olympics.”

The veteran holds the record for goals scored in the Olympic Games, between men and women, with 14.

On the other side of the field this Saturday, another record holder was preparing to say goodbye to football. Christine Sinclair, 40, the national team’s top scorer, with 190 goals, announced on the 20th that she intends to retire from international football at the end of this year. Sinclair did not start the match on the field, but entered in the second half.

Elias could not count on Kerolin, one of the highlights of the team under Pia. The North Carolina Courage striker tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during a match in the NWSL (the American women’s soccer league) on the 15th, and will be out of action for a few months. On Friday, the coach said he was “kind of hopeful that she will be able to recover in time for the Olympics” but acknowledged that the schedule is tight for a serious injury.

The two teams will face each other again next Tuesday (31), at 7:30 pm (Brasília time), in Halifax, Canada.