VANCOUVER, BC–Stephanie Labbe’s send-off was a victorious one as Canada defeated Nigeria, 2-0, at BC Place. Her 86th and final cap for the Gold Medalist Canadians came before a crowd of 20,601. She would play until just after the start of the second half in a changing-of-the-guard type substitution for Kailen Sheridan.
“It was emotional. It was exciting. It was just all the emotions together,” Labbé, 35, said after the match. “What a moment to be able to do that in front of a Canadian crowd, with my friends and family there.”
As for the actual match, Jesse Fleming and Vanessa Giles scored the goals for the Canadians. The two teams will meet again in British Columbia on Monday–this time at Starlight Stadium in Langford.
Gerrit te Hennepe–our regular Vancouver Whitecaps photographer–was on hand for the match and you van view his photos below:
Canada