Time, games running out for beleaguered Canadian women ahead of World Cup

After coming out flat against the U.S. under the shadow of a bitter labour dispute with Canada Soccer, the Canadian women hope to find their game in Nashville where they play Brazil next at the SheBelieves Cup.

The clock is ticking. Time and games are running out with the World Cup looming in July.

Canada was overwhelmed early Thursday night in a 2-0 loss to the top-ranked Americans at Exploria Stadium, with goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan forced to make a save just seconds after a kickoff that followed a show of unity by both teams at the centre circle.

Trailing 1-0 after a seventh-minute goal by Mallory Swanson, the sixth-ranked Canadians regained their composure midway through the first half, only to gift Swanson a second goal in the 34th minute after a defensive gaffe.

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Off-field distractions are taking their toll.

"This isn't fixed overnight so we've got to push through," said Canada coach Bev Priestman. "We've got to use this tournament for what's in front of us. We can't roll over and nor will this group roll over. I think we've got to turn it around now and be fresh-faced and ready to go again for Game 2 because there's probably five games before a World Cup right now and that's the difficult position we're in."

The World Cup opens July 20 in Australia and New Zealand with just two FIFA World Cup international windows in advance — in April and July, right before the tournament kickoff.

The off-field division can only detract from the product on the field.

Organizing and orchestrating protests, from purple T-shirts to a show of solidarity with the opposition before kickoff, takes time and energy that normally would go on the game itself.

"We're going to continue