Canada reopens camp in Vancouver

Canada’s women’s national team returns to training this Canada Day as the team begins its final preparations for the 2008 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. The team will meet at 10.00 at Kinsmen Fields as its Vancouver Residency program resumes under the direction of head coach Even Pellerud.



Up first will be the international friendly against Brazil on 10 July at BMO Field in Toronto. The Canadian team is expecting a big crowd for its debut at BMO Field. The match, presented by Winners, has a 19.00 kickoff. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster (ticketmaster.ca or 416.872.5000).



“Finally, we get another chance to play Brazil,” says coach Even Pellerud. “What could be a better time – less than a month before the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing, the biggest event for women’s soccer ever! Our team is healthy, confident and eager to beat the elegant and skillful South Americans on our home soil.”



Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and whose presenting sponsor is Teck Cominco, had a week off following its second-place finish at the 2008 Peace Queen Cup in June in Korea Republic. The team played exceptionally well in its 0:1 loss to the world’s number-one ranked United States in the final (the U.S. scored the winner in the 92nd minute). Canada finished with a 3-0-1 record while captain Christine Sinclair won the Golden Shoe for scoring five goals.



Canada’s Peace Queen Cup team also contributed three players to the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship. Jonelle Filigno, Jodi-Ann Robinson and Sophie Schmidt left Korea Republic early to join the youth team in Puebla, Mexico. The trio helped the youth team capture confederation title, Canada’s second in three tries against the United States.



Overall, Canada’s senior team has a 8-4-5 record in 2008, including three wins at the 2008 CONCACAF Olympc Qualification Tournament. By defeating Mexico on 12 April, Canada qualified for the Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament for the first time in Association history. Melissa Tancredi scored the historic goal while goalkeeper Erin McLeod posted the clean sheet.



Canada has one of the best women’s programs in the world. The U-20 team (title sponsor Winners) just qualified for its fourth-straight FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (Chile 2008 from 19 November to 7 December). The U-17 team (title sponsor BMO) hopes to qualify in July for the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2008 (28 October to 16 November). Canada’s national team, meanwhile, was recently ranked 9th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings (second within COCACAF behind the United States). The national team is heading to the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time in Association history this 6-23 August.