Canada’s women’s national team announced their roster for the XV Pan American Games Rio 2007 today. The 18-player roster includes captain Christine Sinclair and veteran Andrea Neil.
The Canadian team will play Uruguay on 14 July, Ecuador on 16 July, Jamaica on 18 July, and Brasil on 20 July. The semi-final will be played on 23 July while the final will be played on 26 July. The Canadian team is not only hoping to win a medal, but to win a gold medal before returning home and preparing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007.
L’équipe canadienne féminine senior a aujourd’hui annoncé les noms des joueuses qui prendront part aux XV Jeux Panaméricains, Rio 2007. Le groupe de 18 joueuses comprend le capitaine Christine Sinclair et le vétéran Andrea Neil.
L’équipe canadienne affrontera l’Uruguay le 14 juillet, l’Équateur le 16 juillet, la Jamaïque le 18 juillet et le Brésil le 20 juillet prochains. La demi-finale aura lieu le 23 juillet et la finale du tournoi sera disputée le 26 juillet. L’équipe canadienne vise non seulement à remporter une médaille, mais également à s’emparer de la médaille d’or avant de rentrer au Canada et se préparer en vue de la Coupe du Monde Féminine de la FIFA, Chine 2007.
Julian de Guzman has been named the 2007 CONCACAF Miller Lite Gold Cup most valuable player. The 26-year old midfielder was the star of Canada’s attack in the 2007 tournament.
De Guzman scored a pair of goals in the opening game of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, a come-from-behind 2:1 victory over Costa Rica. He continued to give opposing teams trouble with his pace and distribution throughout the tournament.
Canadians Richard Hastings and Julian de Guzman were both named to the CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI (all-tournament team). Hastings was recognized as one of four defenders while de Guzman was recognized as one of four midfielders. Paul Stalteri, meanwhile, was an honourable mention.
The players were recognized on Saturday, one day before the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup final in Chicago, IL. The final pits Mexico against the United States. Mexico defeated Guadeloupe in the semi-final while the United States defeated Canada.
Canada’s women’s national team has moved up to ninth in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking for June 2007. It is the highest-ranking ever by the Canadian team, just three months after it had reached 10th in the March 2007 ranking.
The United States, who defeated a jet-lagged Canada 6:2 on 12 May in Frisco, TX, are still the number-one ranked women’s team in the world. Germany is still ranked second while Sweden has passed Norway for third place. Korea DPR, Denmark, France, Brazil fill out the fifth to eighth spots; Canada sits in ninth place and Japan sits in 10th place.
L’équipe nationale féminine du Canada a grimpé jusqu’au neuvième rang dans le classement mondial féminin FIFA/Coca-Cola pour le mois de juin de 2007. Il s’agit du plus haut classement jamais pour l’équipe canadienne, et ce, seulement trois mois après qu’elle soit arrivée 10e dans le classement au mois de mars de 2007.
Canada : Guatemala (match tracker)
Canada’s men’s national team will play Guatemala on Saturday 16 June in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal in Foxboro, MA. Canada advanced to the quarterfinal after finishing first in Group A with two wins and a loss. The match will be broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet at 16.00 ET (13.00 PT / 14.00 MT / 15.00 CT / 17.00 AT).
Canada, now ranked sixth in CONCACAF, last played Guatemala in 2004 during World Cup qualifying. Canada lost 0:2 in Burnaby on 18 August, but then won 1:0 in Guatemala City on 17 November (Dwayne De Rosario scored the lone goal). Canada’s last game in Foxboro was a 2:1 victory over Cuba at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup (Ali Gerba scored once and Cuba put in an own goal).
Through their recent success at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Canada’s men’s national team has jumped 38 spots in the monthly FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. The Canadians have jumped from 94th to 56th after posting two wins, one draw and one loss in early June. With 539 points, Canada is now the sixth-ranked country within CONCACAF.
While a number of CONCACAF teams have taken big jumps this month, Canada’s 38-spot jump was the biggest in their confederation. It was also the second-biggest jump amongst all 208 teams; only Armenia’s 48-spot jump (from 128 to 80) was bigger. Canada’s 197-point increase also ranked first within their confederation, just four more than the United States (193 new points). Amongst all 208 FIFA ranked teams, only Bosnia-Herzegovia (226) and Armenia (219) won more points than Canada from May to June.
Canada : United States (match tracker)
Canada’s men’s national team will play the United States tomorrow in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final in Chicago, IL. The winner will advance to the Sunday final, which like the semi-final will be played at Soldier Field. The Canada-USA semi-final match will be broadcast at the following times: Rogers Sportsnet East & Ontario at 23.00 ET, Rogers Sportsnet West at 21.00 MT, and Rogers Sportsnet Pacific at 23.00 PT. For those viewers that have all four Rogers Sportsnet digital channels, they can watch the game live on Rogers Sportsnet East and Rogers Sportsnet Pacific at 18.00 CT (19.00 ET or 16.00 PT).
Canada advanced to the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Saturday 16 June after defeating Guatemala by a score of 3:0. Ali Gerba scored a pair of goals, giving him three in the tournament. The United States advanced by defeating Panama. In the other semi-final match, Mexico will face Guadeloupe.