Canadian women soccer friendly set for 25 May at BMO Field

Canada’s women’s national team has announced it will play Japan in an international friendly at BMO Field in Toronto this coming 25 May 2009. The match, presented by Winners, will be Canada’s first at home since reaching the quarter-final stage at last year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. More importantly, it will mark new head coach Carolina Morace’s home debut with the Canadian team.



“It is important that our supporters can watch our team,” said Carolina Morace from Canada’s base in Cyprus where Canada is playing in the Cyprus Cup. “Home matches give our supporters an opportunity to gain a stronger connection to the team. Every match we play we improve the qualities of the team. The Japanese are a good team who will present a good test. I am looking forward to playing this match in Toronto.”



Tickets to the Canada-Japan match go on sale this coming 17 March through Ticketmaster ticketmaster.ca / 416.872.5000). Tickets to the 25 May match will cost between $15-$35 each. Group rates are available in numerous sections with the purchase of 10 or more tickets.



Canada has one of the best women’s soccer programs in the world. The team finished eighth last year at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament after reaching the quarter-final stage, coming within an extra-time goal of knocking off the number-one ranked USA.



Just last month, the CSA named Morace as the team’s new head coach. Morace, a FIFA world ambassador for women’s football, was an international football star with the Italian national team through the 1990s. She then served as national head coach in the early 2000s.



Canada’s all-time record against Japan is three wins, three draws and three losses. The most recent match up was a 3:0 Canadian win at the 2008 Cyprus Cup last March. Before that, it was an 0:0 friendly draw in Japan on 30 August 2007, the same day Andrea Neil set the national record for all-time appearances.



In 2008, Japan posted a 13-1-6 record, including a 2-1-3 record at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. Japan beat China 2:0 in the quarter-final stage before losing 2:4 to USA in the semis and 0:2 to Germany in the bronze-medal match.



Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners, posted 10 wins, seven draws and seven losses in 2008. The team won the Cyprus Cup, finished second at both the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament and Peace Queen Cup, and then reached the quarter-final stage at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.



In 2009, Canada has started its season at the 2009 Cyprus Women’s Cup. Canada posted a 1:1 draw against New Zealand in the opener on 5 March; up next are Netherlands on 7 March and Russia on 10 March. All teams cross over to establish tournament placements on 12 March.



Last July, Canada recorded a 1:1 draw against Olympic silver-medalist Brazil at BMO Field in Toronto. Canada currently has a six-game unbeaten record (3-3-0) at home and an all-time home record of 26 wins, 5 draws and 16 losses.