Awujo, Larisey earn first Canada call ups

Simi Awujo and Clarissa Larisey both earned their first-ever call ups to Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team. The two young Canadians have been selected by Head Coach Bev Priestman ahead of a pair of September 2022 away international matches in Brisbane and Sydney, Australia.

Midfielder Awujo, 18, recently starred for Canada at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2022. She made her debut in the Canadian youth program earlier this year with coach Cindy Tye and then won a bronze medal at the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championship. In all, she made nine youth international appearances in 2022 before graduating to Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Simi Awujo represents Canada through her track mother Shola who is also a Canadian citizen.

Forward Larisey, 23, is a second-year professional now in Glasgow with Celtic FC, the reigning Scottish Cup winners from the 2021-22 season. She previously played in Iceland with Valur where she won the 2021 league title and made her debut in UEFA Champions League Qualifying. Already this 2022-23 season, she has scored seven goals in four league matches as Celtic FC sit tied at the top of the table in the Scottish Women’s Premier League. Born and raised in Ottawa, Larisey started her footballing journey at local side Gouldborn SC.

Canada are currently preparing for Australia & New Zealand 2023 which will mark their eighth consecutive participation at the FIFA Women’s World Cup since 1995. The 2022 Concacaf runners up are reigning Olympic champions from 2021 and two-time Concacaf champions from 1998 and 2010. In winning gold last year, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team became the first Canadian team to win three consecutive medals at the Summer Olympic Games and just the third nation in the world to win three medals in women’s soccer.

Clarissa Larisey