Match Preview: Herdman expects tough match against strong Dutch side

Watch LIVE on CanadaSoccer.com and TSN GO

Canada’s Women’s National Team Head Coach John Herdman expects to see a strong Netherlands squad for Sunday’s International Friendly at Jan Louwers Stadium in Eindhoven.

Canada Soccer and TSN will provide LIVE coverage of the match starting at 10:00 ET/07:00 PT on CanadaSoccer.com, and to TSN subscribers via TSN Go.

The clash will be the first meeting of the two sides since a 1-1 draw before a crowd of 45,420 in the third group stage match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ in Montreal.

Getting experience against tough European teams is key to Herdman’s plan as Canada continues preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“Tactically the Dutch are very well organised and they’ve been in good form with some excellent results since last summer. We expect it’s this type of team we will meet at the Olympics,” said Herdman. “Our last game against them showed us that this will be a battle. Young players like Lawrence, Buchanan and Fleming played in that match in Montreal, under the pressure of a FIFA Women’s World Cup on home soil, so they have good experience but players like Deanne Rose will face the Netherlands for the first time.”

In last summer’s match Ashley Lawrence scored her first international goal for Canada in the 10th minute and second-half Dutch substitute Kirsten Van de Ven responded in the 87th minute to secure both teams entrance in the knock out round. The Netherlands succumbed to finalists Japan in the Round of 16 before Canada went on to a sixth place finish, bowing out in the quarterfinals against England.

Herdman will be using last summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ experience against the Netherlands as he organises the squad for Sunday’s match.

“That experience is important and what I like about it is that in the training environment they refer back to those experiences and when planning to play against the Dutch they already have things in their minds that they want to try differently,” he said.

Coming off Canada’s first ever victory at the Algarve Cup, Herdman is looking for another strong result in the lead up to two home matches against Olympic hosts Brazil in June before the team heads into the Olympic Games.

“This match gives us an important test to see if we can carry on the result from the Algarve Cup,” added Herdman. “Playing well will help us continue building confidence and momentum going into the home matches and on to Rio.”

The Netherlands narrowly missed out on qualification for Rio 2016 after tying Sweden in the final match of the UEFA qualifying tournament. Sweden went on to join Germany as the two European sides vying for Olympic glory.

Sunday’s International Friendly will be followed by a closed-door training match on Tuesday, April 12th. Two days later, Canada will find out who it will face in the group stage at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games when the Rio Olympic Football Tournament 2016 draw takes place at Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro on April 14th, 2016 at 10:00 local time (09:00 ET/06:00 PT).

Canada’s Women’s National Team will take on Olympic hosts Brazil in a two game series as both team prepare for this summer’s 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The first match will take place Saturday, June 4th at BMO Field in Toronto, and second on Tuesday, June 7th at TD Place in Ottawa.

Individual tickets for the each match start as low as $20 (plus applicable fees) in Toronto and $25 (plus applicable fees) in Ottawa, to ensure the match is available to all Canada’s Women’s National Team fans.

Relive the Canada v Netherlands FIFA Women’s World Cup match here:

Live stream: https://canadasoccer.com/livestream-p159335

Canada Soccer Netherlands International Friendly 2016 roster

CANADA

GK – Stephanie Labbé, age 29, from Edmonton, AB/ Washington Spirit (NWSL)
GK – Sabrina D’Angelo, age 23, from Welland, ON/ Western New York Flash (NWSL)
D – Kadeisha Buchanan, age 20, from Brampton, ON /West Virginia University (NCAA)
D – Rebecca Quinn, age 20, from Toronto, ON / Duke University (NCAA)
D – Shelina Zadorsky, age 23, from London, ON/ Washington Spirit (NWSL)
D – Josée Bélanger, age 29, from Coaticook, QC./ Orlando Pride (NWSL)
D – Allysha Chapman, age 27, from Courtice, ON/ Houston Dash (NWSL)
D – Rhian Wilkinson, age 33, from Baie-d’Urfé, QC/Unattached
M – Jessie Fleming, age 18, from London, ON/ London NorWest Optimist SC
M – Ashley Lawrence, age 20, from Caledon, ON/ West Virginia University (NCAA)
M – Diana Matheson, age 31, from Oakville, ON/ Washington Spirit (NWSL)
M – Deanne Rose, age 17. From Alliston, ON/ Scarborough GS United
M – Sophie Schmidt, age 27, from Abbotsford, BC/ FFC Frankfurt (Frauen-Bundesliga)
M – Desiree Scott, age 28, from Winnipeg, MB/ FC Kansas City (NWSL)
F – Janine Beckie, age 21, from Highlands Ranch, CO./Houston Dash (NWSL)
F – Gabrielle Carle, 17, from Lévis, QC/ Dynamo Québec (USL W-League)
F – Nichelle Prince, age 21, from Ajax, ON/ The Ohio State University (NCAA)
F – Christine Sinclair, age 32, from Burnaby, BC/ Portland Thorns FC (NWSL)
F – Melissa Tancredi, age 34, from Ancaster, ON/ KIF Örebro (Damallsvenskan)

Roster notes:

  • All of the 19 players Head Coach John Herdman has called into camp were on the squad that recently put Canada atop the podium at the Algarve Cup for the first time in Canada’s history.
  • Canada captain Christine Sinclair is Canada’s most capped international player (240), all-time Canadian top goal scorer and second in the world for international goals. Sinclair recently surpassed Mia Hamm for second all-time in international goals while at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Championship in Texas. With 161 international goals, she is only 23 goals behind all-time leader Abby Wambach with 184 (USA/retired).
  • All four of the active top ten Canadian women’s goal scorers will be present, including Sinclair (161), Melissa Tancredi (25), Matheson (17) and Schmidt (16).
  • The average age of the roster is 24.7 years old.
  • Deanne Rose is the youngest player on the team at 17 years old. Rose recently scored her first Canadian Women’s National Team goal at the Olympic qualifier.
  • Diana Matheson will celebrate her 32nd birthday during the camp in Eindhoven.
  • WNT appearances: Sinclair (240), Matheson (180), Wilkinson (174), Tancredi (115), Schmidt (146), Scott (107), Buchanan (53), Bélanger (47), Lawrence (35), Chapman (29), Labbé (27), Fleming (26), Quinn (19), Beckie (15), Prince (13), Zadorsky (12), Rose (9), Carle (6), D’Angelo (2).
  • WNT goals: Sinclair (161), Tancredi (25), Matheson (17), Schmidt (16), Wilkinson (7), Bélanger (7), Beckie (7), Prince (6), Lawrence (4), Buchanan (3), Quinn (3), Rose (3), Fleming (2), Chapman (1), Zadorsky (1), Carle (1), Scott (0). Collectively, this squad has scored 264 goals for Canada’s Women’s National Team.
  • Goalkeeper clean sheets: Labbé (13), D’Angelo (1).

Additional Notes:

  • Canada has played the Netherlands 11 times with a record of 8-3-0. The most recent meeting was a 1-1 tie in the group stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ in Montreal.
  • The Netherlands narrowly missed out on qualification for Rio 2016 after tying Sweden in the final match of the four team 2016 UEFA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament held in the Netherlands. Sweden would qualify with 7 (2-0-1) points over the Netherlands 4 (1-1-1). Switzerland and Norway were third and fourth, respectively.