10,710 fans braved the rain at the Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier to see Canada edge out Cameroon 1-0 in an uninspiring FIFA Women's World Cup Finals encounter on June 10. In a first half which rarely rose to great heights, Canada went close to opening the scoring in the third minute when Christine Sinclair went close with a header from a Janine Beckie free-kick. The set-piece specialist sent a drive sizzling past the post ten minutes later as the Canadians continued to press for the opener, but found themselves up against an obdurate Cameroonian rearguard, which afforded their more vaunted opponents little reward throughout much of the first spell. "The Indomitable Lionesses" were relying on the counter-attack to threaten Canada, to which end Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene was getting through a tower of work but being afforded little change by Kadeisha Buchanan, Shelina Zadorsky and chums, their efforts ensuring Stephanie Labbe didn't have a great deal to concern herself with during the first half. Sinclair was Canada's focal point, however, with Ashley Lawrence and Allysha Chapman both failing in their attempts to pick her out with probing balls forward during the first half, Cameroon goalkeeper Annette Ngo Ndom securing possession on both occasions. In the 43rd minute, Canada went close to breaking the deadlock when Beckie played in the overlapping figure of Chapman down the left. Her low cross picked out Nichelle Prince, ranging up in support beyond the far post, but her shot was diverted onto the base of the near post by Yvonne Leuko's desperate lunge. Cameroon's resistance was broken on the stroke of half-time as they failed to pick up the run of Buchanan following a Beckie corner. The defender homed in on the far post and drilled an unstoppable downward header past Ngo Ndom to give Canada the advantage as the teams headed to the dressing rooms. The trend of the first half continued into the second spell, with Canada's probing for a second goal too often foundering on key passes and crosses going astray as they looked to penetrate Cameroon's five-strong backline.

One that didn't saw Lawrence pick out Prince in the 58th minute, allowing the flank player to burst into the penalty area and thrash a shot narrowly past the post. Soon afterwards, Lawrence herself was thwarted by Leuko's challenge, the defender's effort typifying that of her countrywomen throughout this encounter. Twenty minutes from time, Cameroon came agonisingly close to levelling the scores. Aboudi Onguene's corner to the far post found Claudine Meffometou surging in through the gathered throngs, only to guide her header inches past the upright - it was a near-carbon copy of Buchanan's goal, save for the lack of accuracy. Back came Canada, Sinclair directing a diving header across the face of goal on receipt of substitute Deanne Rose's cross twelve minutes from time, while Ngo Ndom saved at the feet of the striker as she pursued Zadorsky's super through ball eight minutes later. The talismanic Canadian skipper saw another attempt deflected past the post after Schmidt had sent Rose to the by-line moments later, while the 2015 hosts went desperately close to clinching victory in the final minute. Beckie delivered a corner beyond the far post to Schmidt, who headed the ball inside for Sinclair. Her quest to become the first player to score in five FIFA Women's World Cup Finals was to prove fruitless on this occasion, however, Sinclair's bid to force the ball home being foiled by Meffometou's goal-line clearance. Ngo Ndom grabbed a volley from Beckie as the Canadians continued to press for a second goal in stoppage time, but the one Buchanan headed home on the stroke of half-time proved suffice to clinch the three points and give them the early advantage in a group also graced by Holland and the Football Ferns, who meet first thing on Wednesday morning, NZ time. Canada:     Labbe; Lawrence, Buchanan, Zadorsky, Chapman; Prince (Rose, 75), Scott, Schmidt, Beckie; Sinclair, Fleming Cameroon:     Ngo Ndom; Leuko, Awona, Manie, Johnson, Meffometou; Nchout (Akaba, 66), Feudjio, Yango (Meyong, 82), Ngio Ndoumbouk (booked, 37) (Enganamouit, 67 (booked, 74)); Aboudi Onguene Referee:     Ri Hyang Ok (DPR Korea)