Technically, four years ago, the Canadian women’s national team were this close to a gold medal. Just two wins away from the biggest accomplishment in Canadian soccer history, it wouldn’t be close really.
They were oh so close to beating the United States in the Olympic semi-finals and setting up a finale against Japan. To this day it feels like a result that was cheated out of their hands.
Perhaps the soccer gods have come to repay their debts, because in Rio it feels like Canada has been handed a golden opportunity. Their path to Olympic glory is starting to clear, and the team’s belief that this could be their year continues to propel them forward.