LeBlanc makes her 100th appearance for Canada

Karina LeBlanc made her 100th international appearance for Canada. The veteran goalkeeper made her milestone appearance in the Saturday 24 March 2012 Women’s International Friendly match against Brazil in Foxboro, MA, USA. LeBlanc is the 10th Canadian footballer, but first goalkeeper to reach the milestone.

A two-time CONCACAF champion, LeBlanc is now in her 15th season with the national team. She has represented Canada at four FIFA Women’s World Cups (USA 1999, USA 2003, China 2007 and Germany 2011), one Women’s Olympic Football Tournament (Beijing 2008), seven CONCACAF women’s championships (including gold in 1998 and 2010), and three Pan American Games (including bronze in 2007 and gold in 2011).

Once Canada’s youngest goalkeeper to record a shutout win (and today the second oldest to turn the trick), LeBlanc holds the national record with 42 clean sheets and 30 shutout wins. She also holds the record for most clean sheets (eight) and most shutout wins (seven) in a single year (2010).

LeBlanc made her international “A” appearance on 21 July 1998, at the time only 18 years old for a home Women’s International Friendly match against China PR. Nicole Wright and LeBlanc split the goalkeeper duties in an 0:4 loss, with international star Sun Wen the first to score against LeBlanc. Ten months later, LeBlanc made her second appearance in a 2:0 win over Mexico in Vancouver, BC.

Born in Atlanta, GA while her parents were stationed in USA during a Caribbean hurricane, Karina was first raised in Roseau, Dominica until she was eight years old. She then moved with her family to Maple Ridge, BC and a few years later started playing soccer at age 12 with the local Golden Ears Angels.