Irish in the Olympics Day 5: Tancredi leads Canada to quarters

Tuesday marked the biggest day yet at the Rio Olympics for former Irish athletes, as Melissa Tancredi, playing for Canada’s women’s soccer team, scored two goals in her team’s win over Germany.

After failing to play the full 90 minutes in both of the Canadian women’s soccer team’s first two matches these Games, Tancredi exploded Tuesday, knocking in a brace for Team Canada against Germany, who entered the tournament ranked second in the world.

Related Story: Irish in the Olympics Day 2: O Canada!

With the win, Canada finished 3-0 in group play and advanced to the quarterfinals in its quest to repeat as medalists after finishing third in London. Just as importantly, however, the victory was Canada’s first win over Germany ever.

Afterwards, Tancredi deflected praise from herself in an interview with CBC, saying, “To be able to put two goals past a tier-one opponent and really state our spot in this tournament is really huge for us.”

The former Irish great and NCAA champ now has 27 career international goals. Her performance Tuesday was especially crucial as Canada’s coaches decided to rest several starters, including the nation’s all-time leading scorer, Christine Sinclair. Now the team will enter the knockout stage on Friday against France.

Also in action Tuesday, former Irish volleyball star Angie Akers watched on as one of her two teams for the Netherlands’ women’s beach volleyball played on the beach of Copacabana. The team won, 2 sets to none.

One of the Netherlands’ teams is likely to advance out of pool play, with the round of 16 beginning Thursday.

Looking ahead, there is plenty of action Wednesday, as both men’s and women’s basketball will continue group play with Monty Williams and Natalie Achonwa, while Akers will continue to have teams in actions.

Next: Irish in the Olympics Day 4: Zagunis falls short

Finally, the only current Notre Dame student in the Olympics, fencer Lee Keifer, will compete in the women’s individual foil. Keifer finished fifth in 2012 and is now a rising senior for the Irish.