March 2012: Occean, Schmidt named Canada Soccer Players of the Month

The Canadian Soccer Association is pleased to recognize Olivier Occean and Sophie Schmidt as the Canada Soccer Players of the Month for March 2012.

In March, Occean scored five goals in six matches, all five of which were scored in five league matches for SpVgg Greuther Fürth in Germany. Keeping his club near the top of the table in 2.Bundesliga (second place by one point behind Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of March), Occean scored goals in four of five matches as the team posted four wins and one draw. In week 26, he scored two goals in a 4:1 win over TSV 1860 München. Through the end of March, Occean had 16 goals in 28 league appearances plus another two goals in four cup appearances (including the team’s semi-final defeat in March).

Occean has spent seven seasons with Canada’s national team. Now taking part in his third cycle of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Occean scored three goals and recorded one assist in 2011. The 30-year old striker from Brossard, QC originally made his football debut at age six in his hometown of Brossard. He was 22 years old when he made his international “A” debut for Canada on 30 May 2004.

In March, Schmidt recorded one goal and two assists in five international matches for Canada. She scored in Canada’s last match of the month, a 1:3 loss to Sweden. She also recorded an assist on Emily Zurrer’s match-winning goal against Netherlands at the Cyprus Women’s Cup and Christine Sinclair’s match-winning goal against Brazil in a Women’s International Friendly match. Through the end of March, Schmidt also extended her team-leading streak to 35 consecutive appearances (which now ranks sixth best in team history).

Schmidt is in her eighth season with Canada’s national team. A CONCACAF champion in 2010, she has represented Canada at two FIFA Women’s World Cups, three CONCACAF championships (one gold and two silver), and one Pan American Games (gold). The 23-year old midfielder originally made her football debut at age eight in her hometown Abbotsford. She was 16 years old when she made her international “A” debut with Canada on 19 April 2005.

Each month, the Canadian Soccer Association will celebrate one male and one female Canadian footballer in recognition of their outstanding performances with country and/or club. The winners will be announced in the first day following each month’s end via the Association’s official website, CanadaSoccer.com.

CANADA SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
March 2012 – Olivier Occean and Sophie Schmidt
February 2012 – Olivier Occean and Rhian Wilkinson
January 2012 – Simeon Jackson and Desiree Scott