Canadian women to debut at BMO Field against Brazil

Canada’s women’s national team will be making its debut at BMO Field this Thursday 10 July. For the debut, Canada has invited none other than Brazil, the runner-up at last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007. The Canada-Brazil match will kickoff at 19.00 ET (7pm) at BMO Field in Toronto, ON.



Tickets for the Canada-Brazil match go on sale next Thursday 29 May at 10.00 ET (07.00 PT). Tickets range in price from $15-$40. Tickets are available via ticketmaster.ca.



“Brazil has erupted into one of the power houses in women’s soccer over the last four to five years,” says Canadian coach Even Pellerud. “The women’s team is developing the same international status that the men’s team has always had.”



The match, which is being presented by Winners, will pit Canada’s top player Christine Sinclair against the world’s top player Marta.



“Against Marta as the superstar of women’s soccer today, alongside numerous outstanding individual artists, we will count on our team unit and our work committment to beat this team,” says Pellerud. “Both teams are intensively preparing for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, so this encounter will serve as one of the major tests before Beijing.”



Both Canada and Brazil have established top-four finishes at a FIFA Women’s World Cup – Canada in 2003 (4th) and Brazil in 2007 (2nd). Both countries qualified for the 2008 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament earlier this year.



Overall, Canada has a record of three wins and three losses against Brazil. Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and whose presenting sponsor is Teck Cominco, was recently ranked 9th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings. Brazil was ranked fourth in the most recent ranking.