Triumphant return for Canada’s Stephanie Labbe

When the round leather game goes into penalty after extra time it becomes anybody’s game. Aside from that it brings the goalkeeper to the fore.

This time no cover from teammates it is you versus the penatly taker.  No doubt penalties have brought joy and disappointments over the years .

Canada’s Stephanie Labbe was the hero for Canadian ladies Friday against their Brazilian counterparts in the quest for a place in the semifinals of the ongoing Tokyo Olympics football event.Just returning from injury it looked like a Labbe’s day.

Head coach Bev Priestman made a surprising seven changes to her winning starting lineup from the game against Chile, with Christine Sinclair and Desiree Scott dropped from the 18.

Also out from the previous starters were goalkeepers Kailen Sheridan, as Stephanie Labbe made her return from injury, defender Shelina Zadorsky was exchanged for Vanessa Giles, Julia Grosso and Desiree Scott made way for Quinn and Sophie Schmidt in the core of midfield, while further up the field Nichelle Prince and Jessie Fleming came out for Deanne Rose and Adriana Leon. Evelyne Viens started at striker for Canada, and after full time and extra time Labbe was called to duty.

Penalties were necessary after the two teams held each other scoreless through regulation and extra time.

Jessie Fleming, Ashley Lawrence, and Adriana Leon also scored for Canada in penalty kicks.

read alsoTokyo Olympics  Canada sends Brazil packing after 4-3 penalty

Marta, Debinha, and Erika had given Brazil an early lead in the kicks before Labbe made two clutch saves on Andressa and then Rafaelle.

Labbe kept Canada in the game in the 118th minute, punching away a header from Erika to keep the game 0-0.

The game was played at Miyagi Stadium in front of about 4,000 fans scattered throughout the 49,000-seat venue.