The team has to allow itself to be angry: Sophie Schmidt on Canada’s loss

Canada’s women’s soccer team needs to allow itself some time to process its loss at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and use it as motivation for the upcoming Olympics in Brazil.

That’s according to national team member and midfielder Sophie Schmidt, who spoke on the Global BC Morning Show today.

“You have to allow yourself to be frustrated and angry and then look toward the future and use it as a motivating factor that we don’t want to feel like this ever again,” says Schmidt.

Canada lost 2-1 to England in front of the home crowd at BC Place on Saturday, allowing two goals, just minutes apart, early in the first half.

While Canada managed to stay in one piece and score a goal before half-time, the lack of goals in the second half meant Canada had to bid good-bye to the tournament.

Despite the outcome, Schmidt says she felt Canada had its chances and there were opportunities for them to score.

“It is soccer though. On any given day, any team can win and it just did not fall into place for us,” she says.

Schmidt says she feels that making it into the quarterfinals was a good accomplishment for Canada after a disastrous showing at the 2011 World Cup in Germany, where the team did not even make out of the group stage.

“I think we had it in us to win,” she says. “But the gap has closed between teams in women’s soccer. At this point, any team can win, even in the last round.”

“It is exciting but it is also kind of frustrating at times. Every game, you have to fight to the very end.”

On Monday, Schmidt’s embattled teammate Lauren Sesselmann posted a statement on the team’s loss on Instagram.

Words cannot describe how utterly heartbroken I am. The tears have not stopped flowing and this one is going to hurt for a really really long time. Yes I slipped, yes they scored and yes you can blame me all you want..If that's what makes you feel better fine. No one knows how hard I worked to get back from injury to be a part of this special team and make a difference. I know my worth and I know all the great things I've done to help this team get here. For all you classless people with your negative comments and threats you know absolutely nothing. You can sit there and choose to focus on every negative and pick apart our team BUT you have NO IDEA how much passion, heart and hard work this team puts in. No matter what any of you say I am so damn proud to wear this jersey and so damn proud of what we have accomplished and how hard we fought. Yes we arn't perfect and yes we ALL made mistakes, every great athlete makes mistakes..YOU even make mistakes..it's part of life...but it's how you respond that matters, and we never stopped fighting. And I can promise you all this...WE WILL be back and WE WILL be better. THANK YOU to all the fans who have supported us thru thick and thin...and Thank you to my friends and family...Who ALWAYS believe in me and pick me up when I fall. I am so proud to play alongside all of these beautiful and talented women...This truly will be a journey I will never forget. I ❤️ you all and can't wait for what's to come. The future is extremely bright. #TrueNorthStrong #Family #Sisterhood #TogetherWeRise🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

A photo posted by Lauren Sesselmann (@lsesselm) on Jun 28, 2015 at 11:46pm PDT

Sesselmann was heavily criticized for her performance throughout the tournament, in particular during the quarterfinal game against England, where she slipped, allowing the Brits to score.

Schmidt says the criticism toward Sesselmann is frustrating.

“The way I see it, I slipped exactly the same way in the second half. But as a midfielder, I am higher up the field, and I have defenders to bail me out. To blame one person is ridiculous. It is a team sport and everybody is to blame. It happens.”

But for now, Schmidt says the team has some unfinished business in Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

“Right now, I think it is all grief for this World Cup loss,” she says. “But there is so much to look forward to.”