At 9 p.m., it was still 31 Celsius inside Nice Stadium — “even the grass is sweating,” said CBC play-by-play voice Signa Butler – as Canada fought for its Olympic life. The women’s soccer team had spent a week under a glaring international spotlight, and now the heat had expanded beyond mere metaphor.

It could be felt everywhere, but nowhere more than on that field, where Canada needed a win over Colombia to advance past the group stage at the Paris Games. They had the gold medal to defend, but the players had made it clear there was more on the line.