After trailing by six goals in six matches this year, the Canadian women’s soccer team is looking to showcase their attacking prowess at the CONCACAF W Championship.
And there’s a lot going on as Canada, the reigning Olympic champion currently ranked sixth in the world, opens Tuesday night at 76 Trinidad and Tobago in Monterrey, Mexico.
The eight-team tournament, which runs until July 18, serves as qualifiers in North and Central America and the Caribbean for both the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and the 2024 Olympics in Paris. .
Previously World Cup and Olympic qualifiers were separate in the region.
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The Canadian women will have a disappointing 0-0 draw with South Korea No. 18 on June 26 in Toronto. In February, Canada scored just three goals against elite rivals at the Arnold Clark Cup in England, where Priestman’s side drew England No.8 1-1, beat No.5 Germany 1-0 and lost to No.7 Spain. Nha 1-0.
There was more firepower on display in April with a total of four goals in the win and draw with the number 39 Nigeria.
Canada relied on a resilient defense en route to last summer’s Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, beating the opponent 6-4 in six games with two of them ending in penalty shootouts.
In the 10 games since the Olympics, Canada has scored more than one goal just three times while registering a 4-4-2 formation.
“I know when it really matters this group can rise to anything,” said Canada coach Bev Priestman.
“If we do us better than any other team, I’m really comfortable that this team, on their day with the right mindset, right approach, can go and do exactly what talent does. in the show group,” she added.
“And I think I’ve seen that in the last three days. We feel ready. We can’t wait for the ball to roll. The goals will come, I have no doubt about that, with the right people on the pitch and the right partnerships. “
Canada and Trinidad are playing in Group B, along with No. 37 Costa Rica and No. 57 Panama. Group A includes the top teams of the United States, 26th Mexico, 51st Jamaica and 60th Haiti.
The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals, knockout of the 2023 World Cup. The two third-placed teams advance to the intercontinental playoffs of the World Cup.
The CONCACAF W champions qualify for both the 2024 Olympics and the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup, also scheduled for 2024. The runners-up and third place will meet in the CONCACAF Olympic playoffs, scheduled for in September 2023, with the winning team booking tickets to the 2024 Olympics and Gold Cup.
Priestman said 39-year-old captain Christine Sinclair, who is not playing against South Korea, will be available when needed
“It will just be a case, throughout the group stage, to have Christine available for when it really matters. I think that’s the important part,” she said.
“I’m happy to say that everyone will see Christine in this first match,” she added.
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Canadian women have won all 8 times against Trinidad and Tobago, overcoming Soca Warriors with a score of 34-0.
Canada won 6-0 in their last meeting, at the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championships in Houston. That match saw Sinclair score his 159th international goal, edging past Mia Hamm for second place on the world’s all-time scorers list.
Trinidad coach Kenwyne Jones is expecting a tough challenge from the Canadian.
“It’s no secret about their talent and how good they are. But at the same time, to achieve the goals we want to achieve, these are the teams that will have to compete,” said the former Trinidad international striker.
“For any team, for any player, challenges like this are something to enjoy,” he added. “It’s how you test yourself, and to see how well you can withstand the test and what you might need to do to get better. Football is the victory of the day, on the field. And anything can happen.”
Trinidad qualified for the W Championship, topping Group F qualifying with a 3-0-1 record with full-back Liana Hinds (Hibernian, Scotland) and midfielders Karyn Forbes (Police FC, Trinidad), Chelcy Ralph (Ball State) University) and Asha James (West Texas A&M University).
It is a youth team with 16 of the 23 players born in 1998 or later.
“The team itself needs to be refreshed. Jones, who took over the team last November after a brief stint as interim coach, said.
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The 37-year-old Jones’ club career includes appearances for Southampton, Sunderland, England’s Stoke City and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United.
Canada has won CONCACAF twice (1998 and 2010) and runner-up five times (1991, 1994, 2002, 2006 and 2018). It has participated in 10 CONCACAF tournaments, skipping the 2014 event since it was the host of the 2015 World Cup. Canada’s career record at CONCACAF competition is 29-9-1.
Ten of Sinclair’s world-record 189 international goals have come at the CONCACAF Championship.
Trinidad and Tobago is the only team to have entered every CONCACAF W Championship. Its best record was third in 1991 with fourth place in 1993, 1994 and 2014. Its career track record. at the tournament is 7-21-5.
Canadian team
Goalie: Sabrina D’Angelo, Vittsjo GIK (Sweden); Lysianne Proulx, not attached; Kailen Sheridan, Waves of San Diego (NWSL).
Defender: Kadeisha Buchanan, Chelsea (England); Allysha Chapman, Houston Dash (NWSL); Vanessa Gilles, Angel City FC (NWSL); Ashley Lawrence, Paris Saint-Germain (France); Jayde Riviere, AFC Ann Arbor (USL W League); Bianca St-Georges, Chicago Red Stars (NWSL); Shelina Zadorsky, Tottenham (England); Zoe Burns, University of Southern California (NCAA).
Midfielder: Jessie Fleming, Chelsea (England); Julia Grosso, Juventus (Italy); Quinn, OL Reign (NWSL); Sophie Schmidt, Houston Dash (NWSL); Desiree Scott, Kansas City Stream (NWSL).
Striker: Janine Beckie, Portland Thorns (NWSL); Jordyn Huitema, CV Reign (NWSL); Cloe Lacasse, Benfica (Portugal); Adriana Leon, West Ham (England); Nichelle Prince, Houston Dash (NWSL); Deanne Rose, Reading (UK); Christine Sinclair (captain), Portland Thorns (NWSL).
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