Shelina Zadorsky helped Canada make a perfect start to their CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C campaign with a 6-0 win over El Salvador, kicking-off a busy international break for West Ham United’s women’s team.
The Canucks were far too strong for their opponents at Shell Energy Stadium in the American city of Houston, Texas, where they scored three goals in each half to open the tournament with a convincing victory.
Earning her 96th cap for her country, the Ontario-born Zadorsky was in fine form as Canada allowed their opponents just three shots on goal throughout, while creating 24 of their own, six of which ended up in the El Salvador net. Former West Ham player Adriana Leon scored two goals and assisted a third.
The only blot on defender Zadorsky’s copybook was the yellow card she was shown on 27 minutes.
Canada will continue their quest to win the Gold Cup when they face Paraguay at the same venue on Sunday afternoon, before completing their group stage by taking on Costa Rica on Wednesday 28 February.
The knockout stages will take place in early March, climaxing with the final at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, on Sunday 10 March.
Should everything go to plan and she feature in every match, Zadorsky could reach a century of senior caps for country in the quarter-finals.
Also on Thursday, young full-back Anouk Denton started for England U23s in her country’s 3-1 defeat by Spain at the Marbella Football Centre.
The 20-year-old wore the No2 shirt as the Young Lionesses went ahead through a goal from Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones, only for the hosts to level moments later and then turn the game around in the second half.
England U23s will take on the Netherlands in their second match at the same venue on Monday 26 February.
Amber Tysiak could be in actoin as Belgium travel to Hungary for a UEFA Women’s Nations League promotion/relegation match first leg on Friday, while Jess Ziu and Jessie Stapleton are in Italy with Republic of Ireland, for a friendly in Florence later on the same afternoon.
