Canada Soccer’s Moments of the Month for February 2023 presented by Carlsberg

Canada qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2023

Canada qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2023 after beating Puerto Rico 3-0 at the Concacaf Men’s Under-17 Championship. The goals were scored by Kyler Vojvodic, Antoine N’Diaye and Lazar Stefanovic, while goalkeeper Nathaniel Abraham and his backline kept a clean sheet. Canada will face the USA in the Concacaf Semi-Finals on Friday 24 February. The matches will be broadcast live on OneSoccer, available on Telus’s Optik TV, the OneSoccer app and on fuboTV Canada.

Adekugbe and Hutchinson support Red Cross Emergency Fund for Turkey and Syria

Canadian footballers Samuel Adekugbe and Atiba Hutchinson are supporting the Red Cross in delivering emergency relief to those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. The Canadian government has also announced it will match donations made by individuals to the Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria Appeal, up to a maximum of CAD 10 million. Hutchinson, captain of Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team, has been playing in Istanbul with Beşiktaş JK since 2013-14, while Adekugbe has been in Antakya with Hatayspor FC since August 2021, one of the cities devastated by the earthquakes.

Desiree Scott honoured with Order of Manitoba

Desiree Scott, an Olympic and Concacaf champion and captain with the Kansas City Current, has been formally invested in the Order of Manitoba at a special ceremony. The Order of Manitoba was established in 1999 to honour Manitobans who have demonstrated excellence and achievement. Scott was nominated for the honour for her role on and off the pitch, notably serving as an ambassador for the Homeless World Cup and as an athlete ambassador for KidSport.

Canada wraps up 2023 SheBelieves Cup

Canada’s Women’s National Team lost 0-3 to Japan at the SheBelieves Cup, ending their first international window of the 2023 season with a win and two losses. The team lost 0-2 to USA on 16 February, before beating Brazil 2-0 on 19 February. They will next face France on 11 April at the stade Marie-Marvingt du Mans, in their 16th international “A” match against the team. Canada and France are both preparing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™, and this will be their first meeting on the international stage in three years.

Alphonso Davies and Ashley Lawrence nominated for FIFPro World Honours

Canadian football players Alphonso Davies and Ashley Lawrence are finalists for the annual FIFPro World 11 squads. Davies is one of eight defenders nominated to the Men’s World Squad while Lawrence is one of seven defenders nominated to the Women’s World Squad. The squads are comprised of the best players based on their performances during a specific period. Davies was previously named to the FIFA FIFPro Men’s World 11 in 2020 while Lawrence was previously a finalist for the FIFA FIFPro Women’s squad in 2017.

Canada returns home to Toronto for Concacaf Nations League decider

Canada’s Men’s National Team will face Honduras in their Concacaf Nations League group finale in Toronto on March 28. The game doubles as a qualifier for the Concacaf Gold Cup and marks the team’s first game back on home soil since returning to the FIFA World Cup after 36 years. Tickets are available now via Ticketmaster. Canada has two games remaining in their League A Group C schedule, while their opponents Curaçao and Honduras have one game left each.

Samuel Adekugbe joins Galatasaray SK on loan in Turkey

Canadian footballer Samuel Adekugbe has been loaned to Galatasaray SK for the remainder of the 2022-23 Turkish Süper Lig season after Antakya’s Hatayspor FC withdrew following the deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Adekugbe and fellow Canadian Atiba Hutchinson have been working with the Canadian Red Cross to provide emergency relief to those affected by the earthquakes. Donations can be made through the Canadian Red Cross webpage, and the government has announced that it will match donations from individuals up to a maximum of CAD 10 million.

Canada Soccer adds Mathieu Chamberland as new Chief Operating Officer

Canada Soccer has appointed Mathieu Chamberland as its new Chief Operating Officer, starting from March 13, 2023. Chamberland will be responsible for membership engagement and administration, overseeing membership relations, events and competitions, administration and compliance, as well as staff operations, administration and infrastructure strategy. He previously served as the General Director at Soccer Québec for five years, where he oversaw the growth and development of the organization to become one of the top provincial governing bodies in Canada. He will report directly to the Canada Soccer General Secretary and work closely with the executive leadership team in Canada Soccer’s engagement with its membership.

Sura Yekka joins Vittsjö GIK in Sweden

Canadian defender Sura Yekka has signed a two-year contract with Vittsjö GIK in the Swedish Damallsvenskan league. She can play as a centre back or outside fullback, making her a valuable addition to the team’s backline. Prior to joining Vittsjö GIK, Yekka played for Le Havre AC in Division 1 in France and MSV Duisburg in the German Bundesliga. She has also made 18 appearances for Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team and represented Canada in three FIFA youth tournaments. Yekka joins fellow Canadian Sarah Stratigakis, who also played for the University of Michigan, at Vittsjö GIK for the upcoming 2023 season.

Lucas Cavallini joins Club Tijuana in Mexico

Canadian forward Lucas Cavallini has signed with Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles in Mexico for the second half of the 2022-23 Liga MX season. Cavallini returns to Mexico after playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer for the past three seasons. He represented Canada at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and helped them qualify for the tournament for the first time in 36 years. He has scored over 100 goals for both club and country, including league and cup matches in Uruguay, Mexico, and Canada.