Had one ignored the scoreboard and the opposition’s change from red to orange shirts Tuesday night, you could have convinced a few into believing Canada’s loss to the Dutch was a repeat of Friday night’s result against the Swiss.

Canada got underway in Nijmegen with just three changes to the starting eleven, a number below expectations after a lacklustre performance in Lucerne four days before.

Sabrina D’Angelo started in goal with Kailen Sheridan returning to San Diego for a personal matter. 

Jordyn Huitema replaced Olivia Smith, the latter sent back to Arsenal after her collision with a Swiss defender was deemed to have caused a hip pointer injury — relieving to some extent, for those that thought it could be a much worse, longer-term injury.

Ashley Lawrence rounded out the changes, making her 150th cap in place of Gabby Carle.

It would not be one to celebrate for Lawrence though, as her defensive positioning was put to the test in the 28th minute. D’Angelo’s Aston Villa teammate Lynn Wilms, Lawrence’s mark, was allowed to break free at the back post to pot home the only goal of the match.

The loss marked the clearest lowlight for a Canadian side that has struggled of late. On top of three successive losses, a first since 2019 when Kenneth Heiner-Møller was at the helm, Les Rouges have also been held scoreless in those three matches.

Even more so, for a side recognized for their defensive stability, Canada have also now conceded first in their four. Their scarcity of clean sheets has now extended to a span of seven matches —- that alone a mark that hasn’t been matched since 2014 in a run that began at the now-defunct Cyprus Women’s Cup.

In wicked similarities to Tuesday, Canada’s new-look 4-4-2 — Fleming and Sonis operating as the wingers — was picked apart early, though it did not immediately result in goals.

Nine minutes in, a Marisa Olisagers cross flashed past the back post, missed narrowly by Wilms in a predecessor to Wilms’ goal twenty minutes later. A simple rondo put Jade Rose out of commission, while Shelina Zadorsky’s missed interception saw Esmee Brugts’ centre fall to Wilms for redemption in the 28th minute.

GOAL 🇳🇱

CanWNT 🇨🇦 go down 1-0 to Netherlands as Lynn Wilms beats her Aston Villa teammate Sabrina D'Angelo to open the scoring

🔴 Watch LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/Af1VrlNmAI

— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) October 28, 2025

The Canadians were too easily muscled off the ball on that, and every other sequence over the course of the night, in Casey Stoney’s eyes after the match: “It was not good enough. It was nowhere near the level in terms of technical quality, the ability to keep the ball, and winning 50/50 duels.”

Sabrina D’Angelo was nearly pushed into her own goal while swatting away a near-olimpico in the 16th minute, while Wieke Kaptein shouldered Lawrence out of the way to set up Lineth Beerensteyn’s near-miss in the 25th.

Les Rouges’ chances, meanwhile, fell to Adriana Leon and Huitema before the end of the half. But, much like Sonis on Friday, Leon’s shot along the turf was scooped up by Lize Kop, while Huitema’s attempt was forever rising over the bar.

Leon did finally square one away in the 61st minute, only for it to be chalked off with Leon offside in the build-up. The lack of chemistry between Leon and Huitema, having not paired each other often for Canada, further compounded the cohesion and lack of form issues plaguing Stoney’s side, with Canada’s front two isolated from the midfield.

Sonis, who spurned three chances on Friday, had the opportunity to equalize in the 72nd minute. However, her shot, teed up just under Kop’s crossbar, was turned away in a spectacular fingertip save from the Dutch keeper, illustrating the feeling on the night as Lithuanian referee Rasa Grigoné blew for full-time.

With key injuries to Kadeisha Buchanan and Vanessa Gilles, uncharacteristic shortfalls at the back have left Les Rouges in a bit of a lurch defensively.

Despite attempting 16 tackles against Switzerland on Friday and 17 against the Dutch on Tuesday, Les Rougles won just 57% and 59%, respectively —- a far cry from their defensive heights of years past.

Outpossessed in both matches, Les Rouges’ passing accuracy also only came in under 80% with fewer total passes and successful final third passes than their opposition both times; that latter stat, against the Dutch, being nearly a third of the Oranje total (110 successful final third passes, compared to just 35).

And, a similar story played out up top.

Though Les Rouges bettered the Swiss for total touches in the opposition box (24 to 20), they fell behind against the Dutch, again by a nearly 3-to-1 ratio (34 to 13).

Despite Jayde Riviere’s individual accuracy on crosses on Tuesday, the more physically-imposing Oranje squared 22 crosses, more than doubling Canada’s nine, coupled with Les Rouges being flagged five times for offside.

Given the lack of form and cohesion up top, there remain serious questions around Stoney’s team selection, with Évelyne Viens seeing minimal minutes and Northern Super League Golden Boot winner DB Pridham not even making the flight to Europe.

Canada will have one final opportunity to answer some, or all, of those questions in 2025 as they travel to Japan for a two-match series on November 29th and December 2nd. Japan currently sit in eighth in the FIFA Women’s World Ranking, a spot above Canada and Canada’s final opportunity to end the year inside the top-10.