New Zealand striker India-Paige Riley and her team-mates were already motivated to upset the reigning Olympic women’s soccer champions.
That enthusiasm grew even stronger after the Canadian soccer drone scandal erupted on the eve of the tournament’s opening.
“It looks like it set our ship on fire,” Riley said from Saint-Etienne, France.
Thursday’s Paris Olympics match between No. 8 Canada and No. 28 New Zealand (10:30 a.m. ET, CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem, CBC Sports app) is made all the more exciting by what’s happening off the field.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee has lodged a complaint with the International Olympic Committee’s integrity department over two incidents of drone flights during pre-Games practice sessions.
The Canadian Olympic Committee on Wednesday said Canada’s head coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi had “returned home immediately” and accepted coach Bev Priestman’s decision to step down as Opening Day coach.
The sport’s governing body, FIFA, said its disciplinary committee had begun proceedings against the three individuals and Canada Soccer. The domestic federation is also undergoing an external review and the COC said it could take further action if necessary.
“Whether it was sufficient or not, I think it undermined the result and the integrity of the game,” New Zealand interim coach Michael Main said. “I think it’s one thing to change a manager, but does it change the game plan?”
“They finally got a chance to see our footage.”
WATCH | Canada implicated in Olympic women’s soccer spy scandal:
Two Canadian women’s soccer team staff members have returned home after being accused of using drones to spy on New Zealand players’ tactics. Coach Bev Priestman has denied involvement but will not attend the game while FIFA and the IOC investigate.
Priestman said he was “very disappointed” to learn of the drone use, adding that “I never directed any individual at all.”
She volunteered not to stand on the sidelines during the game because “ultimately I have a responsibility to the team.”
Andy Spence, Head Coach, Named Canada Coach
In a COC statement, Priestman apologised on behalf of the Canadian programme to the players and staff of New Zealand Football and the players in her squad. She repeated her apology when she spoke to the media after the team’s training session on Wednesday.
“This does not represent the values our team stands for,” she said.
Watch | Priestman: ‘It was important to me to show strong leadership’:
Canada women’s national soccer team coach Bev Priestman discusses the drone incident that sent two team staff members home and explains her decision not to play in Canada’s first Olympic game against New Zealand on Thursday.
Head coach Andy Spence is expected to take charge for Canada in the Group A opener at Geoffrey-Guichard Stadium at 11 a.m. ET. Priestman will stay at the hotel, a team spokesman confirmed Thursday.
“Is there a little bit of a special charm to this (game)? Maybe,” Main said. “But again, we’re playing football here. We’re preparing for a particular moment. Would we change a lot of what we do? Probably not. The reality is, again, once you learn this, there’s no time.
“We knew we were in this situation 48 hours before the game. No matter what it looks like, we are still looking forward to the challenge.”
Riley said team members spotted a drone “pretty high up” during a training session on Monday. One player initially thought it was a bird, but the device’s sound became apparent, she said.
“I heard that drones aren’t allowed, it’s a no-fly zone,” she said. “So it was a bit of a shock.”
Main said drone footage of training sessions could give viewers the “ultimate tactical perspective.”
“You’re above everyone else, so you can literally see all the patterns and things that we’re working on,” he said. “If we’re working on the specifics of this game, if you can access it, it’s pretty significant.”
WATCH | Canada aims for 4th straight Olympic podium in Paris:
Despite recent setbacks on the world stage and the retirement of former captain Christine Sinclair, Canada’s players are aiming for Olympic gold by developing a young core of players.
