Canadian soccer women wrap up eventful year with lopsided 5-1 win over South Korea

Marie-Yasmine Alidou and Olivia Smith scored to help the Canadian women's soccer team wrap up a tumultuous year with a lopsided 5-1 win over 19th-ranked South Korea in an international friendly Tuesday in Murcia, Spain.

With sixth-ranked Canada leading 1-0 after a first-half Korean own goal, Alidou hammered a swerving shot just underneath the crossbar from well outside the penalty box in the 52nd minute. It was the second goal in five appearances (and third start) for Alidou, who plays her club football in Portugal for Benfica.

Smith made it 3-0 in the 58th minute, outmuscling two defenders before firing a low shot into the corner of goal from just inside the penalty box.

The 20-year-old forward, who has turned heads with Liverpool this season, was dangerous all game in leading the attack in just her fourth start and 13th senior appearance.

Korea pulled a goal back in the 76th minute with Lee Hyok-yeong heading the ball home, getting to a rebound off the crossbar after a Korean corner. Vanessa Gilles made it 4-1 with a header off a free kick two minutes later with substitute Adriana Leon scoring her 41st goal for Canada in stoppage time.

The game was played against a backdrop of unrest more than 10,000 kilometres away in South Korea after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law Tuesday accusing the opposition of insurgency. Korean lawmakers adopted a resolution demanding martial law be lifted while protesters clashed with police outside.

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Olivia Smith guides Canada to a rout over Korea in final match of the year

The Canadian women finished the year with a 9-0-7 record, with three of those draws turning into penalty shootout losses to Germany