CAMEROON 3
RENEGADES 1
Ranked 53rd in the world, the third-best African side prepared for their first World Cup with a tune-up game against the best players drawn from the North Shore Girls Soccer Club. More than 500 fans crowded the bleachers at Windsor Turf and the Cameroonians stayed after the match to greet fans.
The sides meet again at 4 p.m. May 24 at Windsor Turf. Cameroon plays its first World Cup match 鈥� and the fist in 麻豆传媒映画at B.C. Place Stadium 鈥� against Ecuador on June 8. The World Cup begins June 6 when Canada takes on China at Edmonton鈥檚 Commonwealth Stadium.听
On the ball, the team known as Les Lionnes, showed incredible speed said North Shore technical director Jesse Symons.听
鈥淭hey will definitely cause most teams some issues out on the wide spaces because they were very, very pacey and they wanted to dribble and run at you,鈥� said Symons. 鈥淚f I had to characterize their style, I would say they have a very individualist flare and they definitely understand the spaces round them to keep the ball. Their individual understanding on the ball was very impressive to watch.鈥�
On a Renegades team that included striker Sessen Stevens, a member of Canada鈥檚 U20 national team now playing for the University of Memphis, midfielder Chelsea Harkins of Washington State University, and UBC Thunderbirds defender Meagan Pasternak, the Cameroonians鈥� talent was deeply appreciated.
鈥淭he athleticism and the savvy on the ball that the Cameroon team showed hit the girls quite hard but they reacted well,鈥� said Symons. 鈥淭he Cameroon team had much more possession but we controlled the amount of scoring changes quite well.
鈥淭he girls, they said they鈥檝e never played against players who were that quick before,鈥� said Symons. 鈥淭hat shows something for sure with what Cameroon has brought to 麻豆传媒映画for this World Cup.鈥�
Veteran forward Madeleine Ngono Mani, who plays professionally in France, scored Cameroon鈥檚 first goal by placing a well-timed volley in the back of the net.
Cameroon scored two more and the Renegades went on the score sheet thanks to Courtney Hemmerling.
The North Shore Girls Soccer Club hosts a second tune-up game between the Renegades and Cameroon at 4 p.m. May 24 at Windsor Turf.
Entrance is by donation, with the majority of proceeds helping cover Cameroon鈥檚 costs of staying in Canada during the World Cup.
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Teams arrive in 麻豆传媒映画for FIFA World Cup
Les Lionnes arrived in Canada from Cameroon nearly two weeks before any other World Cup competitor.
Five teams land at YVR in the next two weeks.
Australia arrives 7:35 a.m. May 23 on flight AC034
New Zealand arrives 7:25 p.m. May 26 on flight CI032
Ecuador arrives 12 p.m. May 29 on flight UA2003
Switzerland arrives 2:20 p.m. May 30 on flight LH492
Japan arrives 11:35 a.m. June 1 on flight JL018
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