RHIAN SOCCER REPORTS

CANADA TO OPEN vs NETHERLANDS IN BRAZIL 9th December 2010

(Soccer Canada website)

Canada opens its final women’s international competition of the 2010 soccer season this Thursday 9th December in São Paulo, Brazil. Canada faces the Netherlands in its first of four matches at the Torneio Internacional Cidade de São Paulo. The match kicks off at 19.45 local (16.45 ET / 13.45 PT).

 

Following the Canadian team’s opener against the Netherlands on Thursday, Canada will play Mexico on Sunday 12th December in a re-match of November’s championship final at the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, a match Canada won 1:0. Canada will then face hosts Brazil on Wednesday 15th December and complete the tournament on Sunday 19th  December in either the championship or 3rd place match.

Canadian head coach Carolina Morace said that the team is eagerly anticipating the start of the competition. Morace is looking to use the four matches in Brazil to try a variety of players and tactics.

 

Thursday’s match will mark the sixth time Canada and Netherlands have met in international competition. Canada holds an advantage in the all-time head-to-head record having won three and drawn two in the five matches played. The two nations share a long history at this level having first met in 1988 (a one-one draw) during the first official FIFA Women’s Competition which was held in China PR.

This will be Canada’s 15th match of its 2010 season during which it has posted a record of 11 victories, one draw, and two losses. The Canadian squad has won its last six matches dating back to the 3:1 victory over China at BMO Field in Toronto on 30th September 2010. The current win streak includes the team’s perfect record of five wins from five matches played en-route to the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s Championship.

Morace has called-up three players from the recently completed Canadian U-18 camp which ran alongside the national A camp from 29th November to 8th December in São Paulo. Goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo, Midfielder Diamond Simpson, and Forward Marie-Laurence Ouellet will all be looking to make their senior debuts after joining the national side for the four match competition.