Canada women outplayed in 3-0 loss to Japan in international soccer friendly

Canada's Holly Ward, front, takes the ball past Costa Rica's Gabriela Guillen during first half international women's friendly soccer action in Toronto, on Friday June 27, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

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

Momoko Tanikawa, Mina Tanaka and Aoba Fujino scored for eighth-ranked Japan, which controlled play at the 20,000-capacity Peace Stadium.

Ninth-ranked Canada was outplayed for much of the game and it was one-way traffic for long stretches.

The two teams meet again Tuesday at Transcosmos Stadium 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 be looking to turn the tide, having arrived on the back of 1-0 losses to No. 24 Switzerland and the 11th-ranked Netherlands last month after a disappointing 3-0 loss to the second-ranked U.S. 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 sequence that saw Canada defending desperately with centre back Jade Rose blocking two shots.

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

The play started with an errant clearance from Canadian goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.

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

The Canadian defence was cut open again in the 58th minute, with Tanikawa’s pass finding an unmarked Fujino in the box. Her shot went through Sheridan.

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

The Japanese starting 11 included eight players from clubs in England.

Canada lived dangerously early on, turning the ball over on several occasions. Fujino came close in the eighth minute, curling a shot from distance over the crossbar.

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

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

There were five changes to the Canadian starting lineup that faced the Swiss on Oct. 28, with Sheridan, Levasseur, midfielder Simi Awujo and forwards Nichelle Prince and Ward slotting in.

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 Jessie Fleming, one of four centurions in the side, earned her 150th cap.

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

Canada fell to 4-9-4 all-time against Japan. The Canadians have not 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 was without star forward Olivia Smith, at her English club’s request. Arsenal did not want Smith, who suffered a hip injury playing for Canada last month, to make the long trip to Japan.

Her absence led to a first senior call-up for D.B. Pridham, the NSL’s player of the year. But the Ottawa Rapid star, born in California to Canadian parents, is ineligible to take part in the Japan games because she couldn’t get her Canadian passport in time.

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

A dual citizen, Pridham travelled on her U.S. passport.

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

Annabelle Chukwu (Notre Dame) and Kayla Briggs (Michigan State University) were unavailable for selection by mutual agreement with their colleges.

Japan lost 2-0 to No. 13 Norway and drew No. 12 Italy 1-1 in the October international window. While the Japanese women won the SheBelieves Cup in February, capping the tournament with a 2-1 win over the U.S., they came into the Canada match with just one win in their previous eight outings (1-4-3).

Japan has not been beaten on home soil since a 3-1 loss to Sweden in the Olympic quarterfinals in July 2021. The Swedes lost to Canada in the Olympic final.