MARBELLA — Substitute Evelyn Viens’ 85th-minute goal gave Canada a 2-1 comeback win over Australia on Saturday in a warm-up match for the Paris Olympics.
Nichelle Prince also scored for eighth-seeded Canada.
Sharne Freier replied for 12th-ranked Australia.
Making her first start, Freier was added to the Australian starting line-up at the last minute after Caitlin Foord felt quadriceps tightness during warm-up.
Saturday’s game was considered a Tier 2 match which does not count towards rankings or statistics. This is because there were no limits on substitutions or windows for subs.
The Canadian women have one match remaining before the Games, next Wednesday behind closed doors. Canada Soccer has not announced an opponent.
Canada started well, but Freire opened the scoring in the 24th minute when she received a pass from Mary Fowler in the box and played the ball on her left foot before shooting past Canadian goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan at the near post.
Canada equalized in the 41st minute when Prince headed the ball into the goal after Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold failed to stop a Chloe Lacasse cross. Recently signed by the NWSL Portland Thorns, Arnold is club teammates with Canadian captain Jessie Fleming and Janine Beckie.
The winning goal came when Gabby Carle disarmed a defender in the Matildas box and passed to Viens, who finished from close range.
Canada’s European players have been camped in Spain since July 4, with the North American players joining the team on July 8.
Canada will begin its Olympic title defense against 28th-ranked New Zealand in a Group A game on July 25, before taking on second-ranked France on July 28 and 22nd-ranked Colombia on July 31.
The game against Australia gave the Canadians a chance to experience what New Zealand can offer. The Canadian women are taking part in a two game series against Mexico which is being seen as a chance to experience the type of game that Colombia can play.
Canada came into Saturday’s game with a 10-8-3 record against Australia, including 5-0 and 1-0 wins in British Columbia in December that marked the final international matches of longtime captain Christine Sinclair.
It was the teams’ first meeting since co-hosts Australia ended Canada’s World Cup run with a humiliating 4-0 win in Melbourne last July. That loss pushed Canada into third place in Group B and had to go home, while Australia finished fourth.
Sheridan started in goal on Saturday behind a strong line-up of Jade Rose, Kadeisha Buchanan, Vanessa Giles, Jade Riviere, Ashley Lawrence, Simi Awujo, Fleming, Lacasse, Prince and Adriana Leon.
Carle, Wiens, Beckie, Shelina Zadorsky, Quinn, Julia Grosso, Deanne Rose and Jordan Huitema came in for Canada.
Australia was also without injured Caitlin Torpey, Steph Catley, Teagan Mika and Tameka Yallop. The Matildas will play outside Group B at the Olympics alongside No. 4 Germany, fifth-ranked United States and No. 64 Zambia.
