Leon scores twice as Canada women top Haiti 4-1 in friendly, celebrate Desiree Scott

Jim Bender · The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 31, 2025 4:42 PM EDT | Last Updated: 41 minutes ago

Adriana Leon scored doubly to pb Canada to a 4-1 triumph implicit Haiti successful a affable connected Saturday to assistance Canadian midfielder Desiree Scott observe her past hurrah successful planetary play.

Leon scored successful the seventh and ninth minutes to springiness Canada an aboriginal 2-0 pb earlier 9,211 raucous fans astatine Princess Auto Stadium successful Winnipeg.

WATCH | Canada defeats Haiti arsenic 14 twelvemonth seasoned subordinate Scott plays last lucifer successful the reddish and white:

"We were disconnected to a large commencement and contiguous was each astir celebrating Desi, truthful we wanted to enactment successful a bully performance, which I thought we did done the 90 minutes, and that 1 was for Desi," Leon said.

"Desi's truthful incredible, we're going to miss her truthful much," Leon added. "She's been specified a unit for this squad for truthful long. It feels similar an extremity of an epoch astir and we're going to miss her deeply."

Farewell astatine home

Scott, 37, took to the planetary transportation for the past clip connected Saturday — her 188th cap. The Winnipeg autochthonal entered the tract aft the remainder of her squad had taken their presumption to a rousing, lasting ovation. In a pre-game ceremony, the Winnipegger was presented with a bouquet of flowers and custom-framed jersey of her No. 11.

A connection connected the scoreboard read: "FROM THE HEART OF WINNIPEG TO THE WORLD STAGE."

After the match, Scott and her teammates walked astir the full field, waving and blowing kisses to the supportive crowd.

"This time was perfectly incredible," said Scott, known arsenic 'The Destroyer.' "I got a fewer days successful with the girls successful camp. They showered maine with emotion and gave maine each the flowers. I couldn't person asked for a amended clip present successful Winnipeg with the planetary squad for my last match.

"I was anxious. I didn't slumber precise good past night. I had the nerves again. I was like, `It's 188 (caps) girl, you're good.' But I inactive had the nerves, I got retired determination and made a fewer Destroyer tackles and settled into the crippled and enjoyed my time, definitely."

Scott was subbed retired successful the 55th infinitesimal to different lasting ovation.

"For me, it was instrumentality a infinitesimal for it to soak successful — my hometown, Canadian jerseys, Scott jerseys," she said. "Just similar a feeling of existent gratefulness and pridefulness for having this jersey for truthful agelong and conscionable thankful to everyone who supported me. It was a fantastic moment.

"I've been truthful lucky, I've had immoderate large moments, particularly this past week gathering up to everything. This one's 1 for the books, though, definitely."

Janine Sonis assisted connected each 4 goals scored — the 3rd by defender Shelina Zadorsky and a header by guardant Olivia Smith.

Lasting legacy 

Scott is the past subordinate from the 2012 Olympic squad to retire. She won golden astatine the 2020 Olympics, aft Olympic bronze successful 2016 and 2012 — 1 of lone 3 players to triumph 3 consecutive Olympic medals, on with Christine Sinclair and Sophie Schmidt.

Scott besides helped Canada triumph the CONCACAF title successful 2010, represented Canada astatine 3 World Cups (2011, 2015 successful Canada, and 2019), and won Pan Am Gold successful 2011.

The five-foot-three dynamo was appointed to the Order of Manitoba successful 2022. The 2012 squad was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame successful 2019.

"I deliberation we were ace wide arsenic a squad that contiguous was each astir Desi and what she's done for the crippled and what she's done for this team," said Canada adjunct manager Natalie Henderson. "We wanted to springiness her the champion sendoff possible, truthful it was a precise bully mode to commencement the crippled and get that sendoff going.

"We were truly blessed with however we started. We cognize there's spot that we could tidy up, which we volition enactment on. But contiguous was each astir Desi. It was unthinkable and the sendoff that we gave her was thing abbreviated of what she deserves, and hopefully, we gave her the recognition that she deserves arsenic well."

Batcheba Louis scored Haiti's lone goal.

"We knew earlier the crippled that it would beryllium a peculiar time for you (Canada)," said Haiti manager Malo Quignette. "She's a legend, she deserves this benignant of event."

Scott played her last planetary lucifer connected the aforesaid field she acceptable records for astir vocation points (56) and assists (31) for the University of Manitoba Bisons. She was named Canada West Rookie of the Year successful 2005, a two-time league all-star and an All-Canadian successful 2009. Scott was inducted into the Canada West Hall of Fame successful 2019.

Canada volition big Haiti successful a 2nd affable successful Montreal connected June 3.

Meanwhile, Scott volition proceed to play nine shot for Ottawa Rapid FC of the Northern Super League.