adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

News

Tough decisions as Bev Priestman unveils 18-player soccer roster for Paris Olympics

Published

 on

 

Having wrangled the Rubik’s Cube of an 18-player Olympic roster, coach Bev Priestman and her staff leave Tuesday for a pre-tournament camp in Spain.

The eighth-ranked Canada women will play two final warm-ups in Europe against yet-to-be announced opponents during the July 8-16 FIFA international window that precedes the Olympic tournament.

“I’m super-, super-excited,” Priestman said Monday after naming her roster. “I think I couldn’t get excited until I’d had some really difficult (roster) conversations and this was done. And then you start to work with the team you have got.”

Sydney Collins, Nichelle Prince and Quinn won their injury battles in making a roster that features 13 players who won gold in Tokyo including six — captain Jessie Fleming, Janine Beckie, Kadeisha Buchanan, Ashley Lawrence, Prince and Quinn — who also earned bronze in 2016 in Rio.

The six veterans have a combined 717 caps, ranging from 149 for Buchanan to 97 for Prince.

Fifteen members of the Olympic roster were on last summer’s 23-player World Cup squad. Former captain Christine Sinclair and veteran midfielder Sophie Schmidt have since retired from international football.

Beckie and Jade Rose missed the World Cup through injury. Collins was not picked.

Canada opens defence of its Olympic title on July 25 against No. 28 New Zealand before facing No. 2 France on July 28 and No. 22 Colombia on July 31. The first two Group A games are at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne with the third at the Nice Stadium.

The top two teams from each of the three groups, along with the two best third-placed sides, advance to the knockout rounds.

The 24-year-old Collins, a defender/wingback whose Canada debut was in March 2023, makes the Olympic squad after fracturing her ankle in February in the Canadian camp ahead of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup while the 29-year-old Prince suffered a calf injury at the tournament, exiting in the 44th minute of a 4-0 win over El Salvador.

The 28-year-old Quinn is back from a knee injury. Their last appearance for Canada — which marked a century of Canada caps for the veteran midfielder — was in the penalty shootout loss to the United States at the W Gold Cup on March 6.

Teams have until Wednesday to name their Olympic roster.

“It did come right to the wire and it was a really really difficult decision,” said Priestman.

“When I was making these (roster decision) calls, every player answered the call and was nervous at the end of the phone,” she added.

In part because the Olympic roster is just 18 players, plus four alternates, compared to 23 for the FIFA World Cup.

The four alternates who will train and travel with the Olympic team — in case of injury — are goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx, defenders Gabby Carle and Shelina Zadorsky, and forward Deanne Rose. It’s a fourth straight Olympic selection as an alternate for the 25-year-old Carle.

The three outfield alternates are veterans with 100 caps for Zadorsky, 84 for Rose and 46 for Carle. Proulx is uncapped but has been a regular at recent camps. All four were on the World Cup roster.

Missing are midfielder/forward Olivia Smith, midfielder Emma Regan and forward Clarissa Larisey, who were involved in June friendlies.

The 19-year-old Smith, who can play both midfielder and forward, had been thought a likely candidate because of her versatility and success in her rookie season as a pro in Portugal, where she was named best newcomer after scoring 16 goals for Sporting CP. But she and Larisey appear victims of the numbers game up front.

Priestman opted for forwards Beckie, Jordyn Huitema, Cloe Lacasse, Adriana Leon, Prince and Evelyne Viens.

“It was the forward line where we had the most discussions as a staff group. It was the area that we dug the most into the stats. And it was the most difficult (decision), for sure,” said Priestman.

The return of Collins likely decided Carle’s place among the alternates. Priestman ultimately opted for Zadorsky as an alternate because Collins, Lawrence and Quinn can cover at centre back if needed,

There is also no place for veterans Desiree Scott and Allysha Chapman. The 36-year-old Scott, a defensive midfielder who has 187 caps, missed the 2023 season with a knee injury while the 35-year-old Chapman (a fullback with 99 caps) had a baby in February.

“Desi was a really difficult conversation and decision,” said Priestman. “I felt we didn’t need the cover in the midfield position and that’s ultimately what it came down to.”

Collins, Lacasse, Simi Awujo and Jade Rose are making their Olympic debuts.

The 20-year-old Awujo, a midfielder who plays collegiate soccer at USC, played her way onto the team with strong performances this year. Jade Rose, a 21-year-old from Harvard who was the 2023 Canada Soccer Young Player of the Year, has established herself in Canada’s backline alongside Buchanan and Vanessa Gilles.

Canada is the only country to have reached the podium in women’s soccer at each of the last three Olympics.

Canada qualified for the Paris Olympics in September by defeating No. 42 Jamaica 4-1 on aggregate in the two-match CONCACAF W Olympic Play-In.

Canada is 10-1-4 since a disappointing 1-1-1 performance at last summer’s World Cup that saw Priestman’s team fail to make the knockout round. Two of the ties since turned into shootout losses to the U.S. while one became a shootout win over Brazil, which also accounted for the lone Canadian loss in regulation time since the World Cup.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Sabrina D’Angelo, Welland, Ont., Arsenal (England); Kailen Sheridan, Whitby, Ont., San Diego Wave (NWSL)

Defenders: Kadeisha Buchanan, Brampton, Ont. Chelsea (England); Sydney Collins, Beaverton, Ore., North Carolina Courage (NWSL); Vanessa Gilles, Ottawa, Olympique Lyonnais (France); Ashley Lawrence, Caledon East, Ont., Chelsea (England); Jayde Riviere, Markham, Ont., Manchester United (England); Jade Rose, Markham, Ont., Harvard (NCAA).

Midfielders: Simi Awujo, Atlanta, USC (NCAA); Jessie Fleming (capt.), London, Ont., Portland Thorns (NWSL); Julia Grosso, Vancouver, unattached; Quinn, Toronto, Seattle Reign (NWSL).

Forwards: Janine Beckie, Highlands Ranch, Colo., Portland Thorns (NWSL); Jordyn Huitema, Chilliwack, B.C., Seattle Reign (NWSL); Cloe Lacasse, Sudbury, Ont., Arsenal (England); Adriana Leon, King City, Ont., Aston Villa (England); Nichelle Prince, Ajax, Ont., Houston Dash (NWSL); Evelyne Viens, L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que., AS Roma (Italy).

Alternates

Gabrielle Carle, Levis, Que., Washington Spirit (NWSL); Lysianne Proulx, Boucherville, Que., Bay FC (NWSL); Shelina Zadorsky, London, Ont., West Ham (England); Deanne Rose, Alliston, Ont., Leicester City (England).

Staff

Head Coach: Bev Priestman.

Assistant Coaches: Jasmine Mander, Andy Spence, Neil Wood.

Goalkeepers & Set Plays Coach: Jen Herst.

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2024.

Source link

Continue Reading

News

CP NewsAlert: Two people confirmed killed when Vancouver Island road washed out

Published

 on

PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – RCMP say the body of a second person has been found inside their vehicle after a road washed away amid pouring rain on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Police say two vehicles went into the Sarita River when Bamfield Road washed out on Saturday as an atmospheric river hammered southern B.C.

The body of the other driver was found Sunday.

More coming.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

News

Sonia Furstenau staying on as B.C. Greens leader in wake of indecisive election

Published

 on

The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday’s provincial election.

The party says in a statement that its two newly elected MLAs, Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Botterell, support Furstenau’s leadership as they “navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the legislature.”

Neither the NDP led by Premier David Eby nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad secured a majority in the election, with two recounts set to take place from Oct. 26 to 28.

Eby says in a news conference that while the election outcome is uncertain, it’s “very likely” that the NDP would need the support of others to pass legislation.

He says he reached out to Furstenau on election night to congratulate her on the Greens’ showing.

But he says the Green party has told the NDP they are “not ready yet” for a conversation about a minority government deal.

The Conservatives went from taking less than two per cent of the vote in 2020 to being elected or leading in 45 ridings, two short of a majority and only one behind the NDP.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

News

Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio making a difference off the pitch as well as on it

Published

 on

Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio is making a difference, 4,175 kilometres away from home.

The 32-year-old Canadian international midfielder, whose parents hail from Colombia, has been working with the Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization, a charity whose goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the South American country.

Osorio has worked behind the scenes, with no fanfare.

Until now, with his benevolence resulting in becoming Toronto FC’s nominee for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player “who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community” during the 2024 season.”

Other nominees include Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.

The winner will be announced in late November.

The Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization (CCCO) is run entirely by volunteers like Monica Figueredo and Claudia Soler. Founded in 1991, it received charitable status in 2005.

The charity currently has four projects on the go: two in Medellin and one each in Armenia and Barranquilla.

They include a school, a home for young girls whose parents are addicted to drugs, after-school and weekend programs for children in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, and nutrition and education help for underprivileged youth.

The organization heard about Osorio and was put in contact with him via an intermediary, which led to a lunch meeting. Osorio did his due diligence and soon got back to the charity with his decision.

“It was something that I wanted to be a part of right away,” said Osorio, whose lone regret is that he didn’t get involved sooner.

“I’m fortunate now that to help more now that I could have back then,” he added. “The timing actually worked out for everybody. For the last three years I have donated to their cause and we’ve built a couple of (football) fields in different cities over there in the schools.”

His father visited one of the sites in Armenia close to his hometown.

“He said it was amazing, the kids, how grateful they are to be able to play on any pitch, really,” said Osorio. “But to be playing on a new pitch, they’re just so grateful and so humble.

“It really makes it worth it being part of this organization.”

The collaboration has also made Osorio take stock.

“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, I think, for the most part. Kids get to go to school and have a roof over their head and things like that. In Colombia, it’s not really the same case. My father and his family grew up in tough conditions, so giving back is like giving back to my father.”

Osorio’s help has been a godsend to the charity.

“We were so surprised with how willing he was,” said Soler.

The TFC skipper has helped pay for a football field in Armenia as well as an ambitious sports complex under construction in Barranquilla.

“It’s been great for them,” Figueredo said of the pitch in Armenia. “Because when they go to school, now they have a proper place to train.”

Osorio has also sent videos encouraging the kids to stay active — as well as shipping soccer balls and signed jerseys their way.

“They know more about Jonathan than the other players in Colombia,” Figueredo said. “That’s the funny part. Even though he’s far away, they’ve connected with him.”

“They feel that they have a future, that they can do more,” she added. “Seeing that was really, really great.”

The kids also followed Osorio through the 2022 World Cup and this summer’s Copa America.

Back home, Osorio has also attended the charity’s annual golf tournament, helping raise funds.

A Toronto native, he has long donated four tickets for every TFC home game to the Hospital for Sick Children.

Vancouver’s Berhalter was nominated for his involvement in the Whitecaps’ partnership with B.C. Children’s Hospital while Montreal’s Sirois was chosen for his work with the Montreal Impact Foundation.

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending