Canada Soccer – Canada begins FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ campaign with two matches in Europe followed by the Algarve Cup
9 January 2019
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Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team will launch their all-important 2019 season with two matches in Spain including a training match against Switzerland on 17 January and an international friendly match against Norway on 22 January in La Manga.
Canada will also compete in its eighth Algarve Cup which kicks off in February. Drawn into Group A, Canada will face Iceland on 27 February and Scotland on 1 March before playing a final match on 6 March to determine its final rank in the tournament. Canada won the Algarve Cup in 2016 and placed second in 2017.
Seven of the 12 teams competing in the 2019 Algarve Cup are headed to the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ including China, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, and Group E opponents Canada and the Netherlands. The other five participating teams are Demark, Iceland, Poland, hosts Portugal, and Switzerland.
Canada’s first two matches of 2019 mark the start of its FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ campaign which kicks off Monday 10 June when they face Cameroon at Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier, France. Canada will then travel to Grenoble for their second group match on Saturday 15 June against New Zealand at Stade des alpes. Canada then conclude the group phase in Reims on Thursday 20 June with a match against Netherlands at Stade August-Velaune.
“This year is all about preparing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, so we are eager to get together in Europe and continue the momentum we built throughout 2018,” said Kenneth Heiner-Møller, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team Head Coach. “Switzerland and Norway are both difficult sides, so these two matches will serve as an excellent opportunity to test ourselves against strong European opponents.”
While Switzerland missed out on the 2019 edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, a strong performance brought them to the Round of 16 at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ where they fell to hosts Canada 1:0. Norway will be preparing for its own FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign, having been drawn into Group A against hosts France, Korea Republic and Nigeria. Norway qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ after defeating the Netherlands 2-1, who Canada will face in the 2019 group stage, in their final group game of UEFA World Cup Qualifying.
“Heading into our first camp of 2019 we are working to establish a strong foundation from which we can build on over the next few months heading into the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” said Heiner-Møller. “We are certainly not starting from scratch, this team has been developed over time, but work remains to ensure that when we take the pitch in June, Canada will be at their very best, putting on a genuine FIFA World Cup performance.”
January 2019 Roster
Canada’s January 2019 match roster combines team veterans with standout young players. Captain Christine Sinclair will lead the team as she continues to close in on the all-time FIFA scoring record needing just seven goals to earn the top spot. Teenagers including Jordyn Huitema and Jayde Riviere, both 17 years old, recently helped Canada earn a fourth-place finish at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 and will be joined by Julia Grosso (age 18) and Deanne Rose (age 19).
Ottawa’s Vanessa Gilles will be making her first appearance in a Canada Soccer National Team camp.
Canada Soccer Women’s National Team January 2019 Roster
#1 GK Stephanie Labbe, age 32, from Stony Plain, AB/ Linköpings FC (Damallsvenskan)
#2 FB Allysha Chapman, age 29, from Courtice, ON/ Houston Dash (NWSL)
#3 CB Kadeisha Buchanan, age 23, from Brampton, ON/ Olympique Lyonnais (Division 1 Féminine France)
#4 CB Shelina Zadorsky, age 26, from London, ON/ Orlando Pride (NWSL)
#5 M Rebecca Quinn, age 23, from Toronto, ON/ Washington Spirit (NWSL)
#6 F Deanne Rose, age 19, from Alliston, ON/ University of Florida Gators (NCAA)
#7 M Julia Grosso, age 18, from Vancouver, BC / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite/ Canada Soccer Regional EXCEL Super Centre (British Columbia)
#9 F Jordyn Huitema, age 17, from Chilliwack, BC/ Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite/ Canada Soccer Regional EXCEL Super Centre (British Columbia)
#10 FB Ashley Lawrence, age 23, from Caledon, ON/Paris Saint Germain (Division 1 Féminine France)
#11 M Desiree Scott, age 31, from Winnipeg, MB/ Utah Royals FC (NWSL)
#12 F Christine Sinclair ( C ), age 35, from Burnaby, BC/ Portland Thorns (NWSL)
#13 M Sophie Schmidt, age 30, from Abbotsford, BC
#15 F Nichelle Prince, age 23, from Ajax, ON/ Houston Dash (NWSL)
#16 F Janine Beckie, age 24, from Highlands Ranch, CO/ Manchester City (FA Women’s Super League)
#17 M Jessie Fleming, age 20, from London, ON/UCLA (NCAA)
#18 GK Sabrina D’Angelo, age 25, from Welland, ON/North Carolina Courage (NWSL)
#19 F Adriana Leon, age 26, from King City, ON
#20 FB Shannon Woeller, age 28, from Vancouver, BC/ Eskilstuna United DFF (Damallsvenskan)
#21 GK Kailen Sheridan, age 23, from Whitby, ON/ Sky Blue FC (NWSL)
#22 FB Lindsay Agnew, age 23, from Kingston, ON/ Houston Dash (NWSL)
#23 FB Jayde Riviere, age 17, from Markham, ON/ Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite/ Canada Soccer Regional EXCEL Super Centre (Ontario)
#24 FB/F Jenna Hellstrom, age 23, from Sudbury, ON/ Växjö DFF (Damallsvenskan)
#25 CB Vanessa Gilles, 22, from Ottawa, ON/ Les Girondins de Bordeaux (Division 1 Féminine France)
Canada Soccer Women’s National Team 2019 Match Schedule
*Additional matches to be announced in Spring 2019.
- Thursday 17 January – Canada vs Switzerland (Closed door training match)
- Tuesday 22 January – Canada vs Norway – 18:00 local (12:00 ET/09:00 PT) at La Manga Stadium in La Manga, Spain (Closed door, international friendly match)
2019 Algarve Cup
- Wednesday 27 February – Canada vs Iceland (Time and location TBC)
- Friday 1 March – Canada v Scotland (Time and location TBC)
- Wednesday 6 March – Canada v TBD (Time and location TBC)
FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ (Group Stage)
- Monday 10 June – Canada vs Cameroon – 21.00 local (15.00 ET / 12.00 PT) at Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier
- Saturday 15 June – Canada vs New Zealand – 21.00 local (15.00 ET / 12.00 PT) at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble
- Thursday 20 June – Canada vs Netherlands – 18.00 local (12.00 ET / 09.00 PT) at Stade Auguste Delaune in Reims