Moment 4: Canada claims silver on home soil at Canada 2002

Canada wins silver at first-ever FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

In 2002, the Canadian Soccer Association hosted the first-ever FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, then known as the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship. After a 10-week tour in which Canada posted nine wins in nine communities across six provinces, Canada opened the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with a 3:2 victory over Denmark. After closing a perfect group stage with wins over Japan and Nigeria, Canada then blasted by England in the quarter-final phase with five goals scored by the tournament’s eventual Golden Ball and Golden Shoe winner, Christine Sinclair. After then eliminated Brazil on kicks from the penalty mark in the semi-final, Canada had its heart broken in the championship final against USA: with a record 47,784 in attendance at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Lindsay Tarpley’s extra-time goal was the difference in a memorable final.

Moment 4: Canada claims silver on home soil at Canada 2002

In terms of player legacy, Canada’s silver-medal youth team supplied 12 players to Canadian teams at the CONCACAF “A” level, including 10 of which have participated in a FIFA Women’s World Cup. Seven of those players are currently chasing a spot on Canada’s team for the London 2012 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. That “silver seven” features Sinclair, Melanie Booth, Candace Chapman, Robyn Gayle, Erin McLeod, Carmelina Moscato and Brittany Timko.

As a follow up to such a successful tournament, Canada later hosted the (men’s) FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007, again setting records and further establishing a culture for the sport in the country. Canada will next host both the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2014 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015, the latter of which may still feature more than a handful of players from that original Canada 2002 squad.

The Canadian Soccer Association celebrates its 100th anniversary throughout the 2012 calendar year. While soccer (football) has been played in Canada since 1876, the Canadian Soccer Association (or the Dominion of Canada Football Association as it was known in the day) was inaugurated on 24 May 1912. As part of the centennial celebrations, the Canadian Soccer Association will unveil the “Top-10 Moments” in Canadian soccer history as well as engage soccer fans to select the “All-Time Canada XI” teams for men’s and women’s football. The celebrations will culminate with Canada’s two Centennial Matches – a Women’s International Friendly on 30 May in Moncton and a Men’s International Friendly match on 3 June in Toronto.

Tickets to Canada’s 3 June Centennial home match – as well three FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in June, September and October – are available via Ticketmaster (ticketmaster.ca / 1.855.570.7500) with full details at CanadaSoccer.com/seetheerise. Also to celebrate Canada’s 100th anniversary, Canada’s men’s and women’s national teams will wear a special blue Centennial Kit tailored by Umbro. The kit will be worn exclusively by the men on 3 June and by the women for a second Centennial match on 30 June at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, UT, USA. Limited quantities of Canada’s Centennial clothing line – including jersey, anthem jacket and cap – are available exclusively at CanadaSoccer.com.