France blanks Canada in Cyprus Cup final

France denied Canada a third straight Cyprus Cup title on Tuesday with a 2-0 win in the final of the women’s soccer tournament in Larnaka, Cyprus.

Marie-Laure Delie and Louisa Necib scored as the sixth-ranked French team completed an unbeaten run through the event.

Delie opened the scoring in the 31st minutes, muscling Canadian defender Desiree Scott off the ball and putting a shot top corner past Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod.

Necib added an insurance goal on a penalty kick in the 62nd minute. Sarah Bouhaddi kept the clean sheet for the French.

Canada, ranked seventh in the world, has reached the final of the Cyprus Cup in each of the last five years, winning the title in 2008, ’10 and ’11. France had completed third at the tournament in 2009 and ’11.

The game was seen as a litmus test for the Canadian women as they prepare for the Summer Olympics. Canada and France will both be part of the 12-team tournament in London.

With Tuesday’s result, France has now beaten Canada twice by a combined score of 6-0 in the last year. The French won 4-0 at last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, which effectively eliminated Canada from contention at the event.

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