Canada’s Olympic women’s football title defense came to an end in the quarterfinals on Saturday, with a 4-2 penalty shootout loss to Germany. The match was marred by controversy surrounding a spying scandal that led to a six-point deduction for Canada during the group stage.
After the match finished 0-0 at the end of extra time, goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger became Germany’s hero in the shoot-out in Marseille. She saved from both Ashley Lawrence and Adriana Leon, and then stepped up to convert the winning spot-kick.
Germany, gold medallist in 2016, advance to a semifinal on Tuesday in Lyon against the United States. Canada, who took gold three years ago in Tokyo, go home, but simply reaching the quarterfinals was a remarkable achievement after the points deduction.
The team was hit with the points deduction as well as a fine of 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) by FIFA as a punishment after a staff member used a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session ahead of its opening match at the tournament, which Canada won 2-1.
Canada coach Bev Priestman was given a one-year ban for her responsibility in the scandal, leaving assistant Andy Spence to take interim charge of the team. Canada, who failed in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the points deduction, won all three group games to qualify for the last eight, including beating host France.
