Canadian women beat Arsenal… er… England, advance to Cyprus Cup final

The Canadian national women’s team kept its undefeated run at the Cyprus Cup alive — and earned a berth in the final — by shutting down an England team that featured a heavy dose of talent from the Arsenal Ladies’ Program. Christine Sinclair smashed home a rebound from a Diana Matheson shot, and Brittany Timko chipped the keeper for a second-half insurance marker, as Canada won 2-0. By winning its group — and winning all three games in the process — the Canadian will meet the Netherlands, another undefeated side, in the final. On paper, England should have presented a stiffer challenge than Italy or Scotland — each of whom lost 1-0 to Canada. England started a lineup that feature in the powerful Arsenal Ladies’ program: Faye White, Steph Houghton, Rachel Yankey and Ellen White. Karen Bardsley, the England keeper, was an NCAA standout who graduated to WPS. Kim Little, who scored 47 times for Arsenal last season, played for Scotland against Canada last week.

Arsenal won nine of the 10 women’s Premier League titles between 2001 and 2010. The Gunners have won a total of 12 Premier League trophies in all. The club also won Europe in 2007 and is still alive to win the crown again in 2011, when the final goes in London. It is the dominant team in English women’s football. But the strikers it provided to the English side —Ellen White and Yankey — could not breach Canada’s defensive lines. Canada has still not conceded a goal in the tournament.