Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – There are 3-0 soccer games that are absolute blowouts.
Sunday was not one, even if a cursory glance at the score would indicate the visiting Calgary Dinos throttled the MacEwan Griffins.
In reality, the women's soccer contest between two of Canada West's top teams could have gone either way. But the Dinos capitalized on three set pieces to win handily 3-0 and become the first team in the conference to reach three wins on the young 2021-22 season.
"Those things are going to happen," said Griffins head coach Dean Cordeiro, whose team bested the Dinos on corners (6-3) and trailed only 17-12 in shots (10-7 for Calgary on goal), but couldn't find the scoresheet. "It's disappointing that it happened today.
"Credit U of C. They did what they needed to do. They came out and played a quality match and won the set piece battle. You can't concede three goals on set pieces. It's as simple as that."
With the result, the Griffins fall to 1-1-0 on the season and are now 0-7-0 in regular season matches against the Dinos since entering Canada West in 2014 – one of only two teams, along with UBC, that they've never beaten.
Of course, the previous match between the rivals that was much-ballyhooed ahead of Sunday's contest was their meeting in the 2019 Canada West semifinal when they played to a scoreless draw before the Dinos won on penalty kicks.
Sadly for the Griffins, they were unable to exact any measure of revenge on Sunday, although it wasn't without effort.
MacEwan had multiple dangerous chances to score, including Maya Morrell, Reaghan McCarthy and Salma Kamel first-half blasts that forced veteran Dinos keeper Lauren Houghton to make some tough saves. And their most dangerous chance of all came in the 90th minute when Erin Van Dolder got all of a Morrell pass from the middle of the box that Houghton tipped off the crossbar.
"For 90 minutes in the run of play today it was a nil-nil game," said Cordeiro. "I like some of the chances we created. I think we lacked a bit of that killer instinct and final finish.
"It's disappointing because it definitely wasn't a 3-nil game for me."
The Dinos celebrate after Damiane Van Wieren opened the scoring in the seventh minute on Sunday (Jefferson Hagen photo).
The Dinos opened the scoring in the seventh minute when they were awarded a dangerous free kick at the side of the area and Damiane Van Wieren headed home Amy Mikuska's offering.
In the 26th minute, with MacEwan pressing on a corner kick, Montana Leonard stole a ball to the left of her own goal and ran the length of the field, juking out a defender before finding the back of the net for her fourth goal of the season.
"It's the first time we've been trailing all season," said Cordeiro. "But unfortunately for us, we didn't respond the right way. We concede another against the run of play on an attacking corner. We let them transition and they scored off it."
With MacEwan buzzing early in the second half, Calgary earned a corner against the run of play and put the game out of reach when Jayden Berg elevated off the back post and headed Mikuska's cross past Griffins' keeper Bianca Castillo.
Both Castillo and Houghton made seven saves each.
"So, it's back to the drawing board for us," said Cordeiro. "Better for something like this to happen now early in the season than when it matters most in the end.
"I tell you this, we'll be ready the next time we play them. Today, credit them. They got the better of us."
That rematch will have to wait until Oct. 23-24 when the rivals play a doubleheader in Calgary.
Next up for the Griffins is a weekend road trip to Lethbridge and Mount Royal on Sept. 18-19.
