Morace selects 24 players for USA matches

Canada women’s national head coach Carolina Morace has selected a squad of 24 players to represent Canada in a pair of upcoming friendly matches against USA. Canada opens the two-game set in Rochester, NY on Sunday 19 July and concludes the series three days later on Wednesday 22 July 22 in Charleston, SC.



“I would like to see more concentration on the field regardless of the situation,” says coach Morace. “In our last match against USA, we made too many mental errors that cost us on the scoreboard.”



As Morace continues to implement a new system for her Canadian squad, she stresses the importance of the quality of the performance over the result. Regardless, Canada will be looking for revenge on the 0:4 loss to USA in Toronto on 25 May. Morace, who took over as head coach of the Canadian women’s program in February, is using the three-game series of friendly matches with the world’s number-one ranked USA to establish the groundwork on the road to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011. She is hoping to develop a better evaluation of the available player pool and to implement the tactics she wishes to employ in competition.



“With the absence of Martina Franko and Amy Walsh, this team will lack the veteran presence and experience,” says Morace. “At the same time, this is a great opportunity for some of the other players to step up and take on a leadership role.”



Canada has held USA close in several of the recent contests, including a 1:2 loss in extra time in the quarter-final stage at the 2008 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing. The two matches in Rochester and Charleston will mark the 46th and 47th time Canada and USA have met internationally.



Canada’s team includes six players who ply their trade in Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), five who play for European clubs, and 12 players on current W-League rosters. Six of the seven WPS squads are represented on this edition of the Canadian team: goalkeeper Erin McLeod from Washington Freedom; goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc from the Los Angeles Sol; defender Candace Chapman from the Boston Breakers; midfielder Kelly Parker from Sky Blue FC; forward Melissa Tancredi from St. Louis Athletica; and forward Christine Sinclair from FC Gold Pride.



Included in the 24 player roster are Bahar Sansar and Gina Pacheco who are both earning their first call-up to the senior squad. Sansar has represented Canada at the U-20 level, missing out on the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Chile 2008 through injury. Sansar plays her club soccer with the Comètes de Laval and attends the University of South Florida. Pacheco, who is currently making her first appearance with Canada’s U-20 team, competes at the club level for the Ottawa Fury of the W-League and plays with Sansar at the University of South Florida.



Much of the attention going in to the two game set will focus on two of the more prolific scorers in the history of women’s soccer. Canada’s Captain Sinclair and USA’s Abby Wambach both come into the game sitting on 99 career goals. Although both had chances, neither player was able to reach the 100-goal plateau during the 25 May match in Toronto.



The matches will be Canada’s first in both Marina Auto Stadium, home of the W-League’s Rochester Ravens and USL’s Rochester Rhinos, and Blackbaud Stadium, home of the USL’s Charleston Battery. Tickets for both games are available through ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout the Rochester and Charleston areas. Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form at ussoccer.com or call 312-528-1290.



Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and whose presenting sponsor is Teck, is currently the 11th ranked team on the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking.



CANADA



G- Karina LeBlanc | USA / LA Sol

G- Erin McLeod | USA / Washington Freedom

G- Stephanie Labbe | SWE / Piteå IF

D- Bahar Sansar | CAN / Comètes de Laval & USA / University of South Florida

D- Candace Chapman | USA / Boston Breakers

D- Carmelina Moscato | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

D- Emily Zurrer | USA / Chicago Red 11 & USA / Penn State

D- Robyn Gayle | USA / FC Indiana

D- Marie Eve Nault | USA / Chicago Red 11

D- Brittany Timko | SWE / Piteå IF

D- Chelsea Stewart | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC & USA / Vanderbilt

D- Shannon Woeller | CAN / Vanvoucer Whitecaps FC & USA / Rutgers University

M- Diana Matheson | NOR / Team Strommen FK

M- Kaylyn Kyle | SWE / Piteå IF

M- Gina Pacheco | CAN / Ottawa Fury & USA / University of South Florida

M- Allysa Lagonia | CAN / Toronto Lynx & CAN / Wilfred Laurier University

M- Kara Lang | USA / Pali Blues & USA / University of California-LA

M- Rhian Wilkinson | NOR / Team Strommen FK

M- Kelly Parker | USA / Sky Blue FC

M- Jodi-Ann Robinson | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

F- Christina Julien | CAN / Comètes de Laval & USA / James Madison University

F- Christine Sinclair | USA / FC Gold Pride

F- Melissa Tancredi | USA / Saint Louis Athletica

F- Jonelle Filigno | CAN / Toronto Lynx & USA / Rutgers University



Head Coach / Entraîneure-chef : Carolina Morace

Assistant Coach / Entraîneure-adjoint : Elisabetta Bavagnoli

Assistant Coach / Entraîneure-adjoint : Andrea Neil

Goalkeeper coach / Entraîneur des gardiens : Massimiliano Colucci

Equipment Manager / Gérant d’équipement : Maeve Glass

Doctor / Docteur : Dr. Andrew Pipe

Physiotherapist / Physiothérapeute : Judy Russell

Massage Therapist / Massothérapeute : Nicole Stephen

Conditioning Coach / Entraîneur du conditionnement physique : Mario Familiari

Translator / Traducteur : Marco Masucci

Head of delegation / Chef de délégation : Dr. Dominique Maestracci & Rob Newman