Canada prepares for USA at Yongchuan Cup

Canada will face USA this Sunday 23 January at the Yongchuan Cup Four-Nation Women’s Tournament in China PR. The two sides will meet at the Olympic Sports Center in the Yongchuan District of Chongqing, China PR on Match Day Two of the competition. Canada is facing USA in the late match while Sweden is facing host China PR in the earlier match.



The Canada-USA match kicks off at 19.05 local (06.05 ET / 03.05 PT). The match will be broadcast on CCTV Sports in China PR. Fans back home in Canada can follow the match via the live twitter feed at twitter.com/CanadaSoccerEN.



The Yongchuan Cup Four-Nation Women’s Tournament is a six-match series that is played 21-23-25 January. Canada is in first place after Match Day One, with Sweden (also perfect at three points), USA and China PR from second to fourth in the standings.



This will be the 48th official meeting between Canada and USA, the most encounters in the annals of either national team. Canada and USA first met for two matches in July 1986, the first two matches in Canada’s women’s football program. Canada also has a long history of playing against Sweden and China PR. Canada faced Sweden in its third match on 5 July 1987 and then faced China PR for the first time a year later at the 1988 FIFA Competition for women’s football.



Canada and USA have met nearly every year since 1986, with 1988, 1989, 1992 and 2010 the exceptions (Canada did not play any matches in 1989 or 1992). Canada and USA had expected to meet in November 2010 at the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier, but the two nations took different routes to qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011. Canada won the CONCACAF championship while USA pressed on before beating Italy in a two-match playoff leg later in the month.



Canada and USA faced each other three times in Women’s International Friendly matches in 2009. That was the first year of Canada’s program under the direction of then-new head coach Carolina Morace. USA won all three matches, improving their all-time head-to-head record to 40 wins, four draws and three losses.



The last two competition matches in 2008 were both very close. Canada pushed eventual champion USA into extra time of the quarter-final stage of the 2008 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. Canada had some terrific chances, but lost after USA won 2-1 a.e.t. The two sides previously met in the championship final of the 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament and drew 1:1 after 120 minutes. USA came away with the trophy, however, after winning on kicks from the penalty mark.



USA actually still has 12 of those Olympic champions in its lineup. The team is also carrying 16 of 20 players that took part in November’s 2010 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier. The four omissions from early November are Kristine Lilly (retired), Abby Wambach (heel injury), Ali Krieger and young goalkeeper Jill Loyden.



Both Canada and USA showed considerable rust in their opening matches of the Yongchuan Cup on 21 January 2011. USA fell 1:2 to Sweden, but also created numerous chances that just would not go into the back of the net. Canada also created numerous chances in its match against China PR, but failed to score in the first 56 minutes of action. Down 0-2, Canada scored three times in the second half to come away with a 3:2 victory. Melissa Tancredi was the star with a goal and two assists while captain Christine Sinclair provided the heroics with an added-time goal on the very last rush of the match.



Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and presenting sponsor is Teck, is currently preparing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011. Canada has brought 24 players to this January competition, the first in the build up to the 26 June 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup opener in Berlin against Germany. Canada is unbeaten in 11-straight matches (nine wins and two draws) dating back to a win at BMO Field in Toronto on 30 September 2010.