The Italian soccer federation wasn’t as kind. On its website, it blasted the referee for allowing the Gayle goal. The FIGC’s report stated the game was “spoiled by a foul in the penalty area that went undetected by the referee” before Gayle got the winner.

Kelly Parker scored and had a role in setting up two others as the Canadian national women’s team opened the Cyprus Cup Tuesday with a comprehensive 5-1 win over a Scotland side that’s missing its best player.

Mexico came into the tournament with a group of new players and a fresh tactical set-up, so some of the scouting the Canadian had from Mexico’s appearances at the Pan Am Games and the Women’s World Cup has gone out the window.

“I think generally job done, that’s two games we managed to rest a few players tonight and we only need a draw to qualify for the top of the group with the goal differential that we’re carrying,” said Canada coach John Herdman. “ It’s in a good space for Canada now and I think we can take Costa Rica in a different light and make sure that we’ve absolutely got everyone ready to go.”

Christine Sinclair scored four goals and set up another to lead Canada to a convincing 6-0 win over Haiti in both teams’ opening match of the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament.

“We play at home so rarely that it’s really special when you get in front of the home crowd so I’m obviously going to miss that but I’ll be with the team throughout everything,” said Matheson.

Sydney Leroux will have a sort-of homecoming in Vancouver this week.

Diana Matheson’s injured knee won’t be ready in time for her to play for the Canadian national team at the CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers.

As he announced his roster for the upcoming tournament in Vancouver, Herdman also spoke of the need to keep the team’s heads “light, bright and clean.” So, in January, he is bringing in Dr. Ceri Evans, listed on the roster as a “mental trainer” to work with the team, to help boost the player’s confidence after the morale-shattering World Cup — a tournament where the player’s mental toughness was brought into question.

“I’m not ready to not play professionally,” said Sinclair Thursday, as she was named Canada’s female soccer player of the year for the seventh straight year after a vote that wasn’t close. “When there were rumours that WPS might be shut down, for sure I thought about going either to Germany or to Sweden to play.”