Canadian women to play weekend friendlies in Singapore

Canada’s women’s national team will play two international friendly matches this weekend in Singapore. Canada will play New Zealand on Saturday 26 July at 19.30 and Singapore on Sunday 27 July at 19.30. Both games will help serve Canada’s final preparations for next month’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in China.



“We are pleased to have the opportunity to play these two games here,” says coach Even Pellerud. “They are well timed after our arrival precamp and well timed prior to kick off against Argentina on 6 August.”



Both matches had previously been planned as exhibition sessions, but the competing nations decided to make the contests official international matches. Canada has a record of eight wins, five draws and five losses in 18 international matches this year. Canada’s last match was a 1:1 draw against Brazil at BMO Field in Toronto, ON.



“New Zealand has a spot in the Olympic Tournament and will provide good opposition,” says Pellerud. “New Zealand will give us a good opportunity to test our shape and readiness.”



Canada arrived in Singapore on Tuesday morning after concluding its residency camp in Vancouver, BC. The team has trained each day in preparation for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament which kicks off 6 August in Tianjin, China. Canada opens its tournament against Argentina.



“Although these two games are our last games, there is still fierce competition for starting spots,” says Pellerud. “It is only fair to suggest that most players will have fair amount of playing time over these encounters – New Zealand today and Singapore tomorrow.”



Canada’s women’s national team, whose title sponsor is Winners and whose presenting sponsor is Teck Cominco, is competing in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time in Association history. Canada’s women’s team was most recently ranked ninth in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings.