The players of the Canadian soccer team are looking to put the finishing touches on a golden year by playing the first of two games against Mexico on Saturday.
The Olympic champions, ranked sixth in the world, will cross swords with their opponents in Mexico City before preparing for the second duel on Tuesday.
For Canada, this is an opportunity to take its winning streak to five and its unbeaten streak to 12 (8-0-4 including results at the Tokyo Olympics) since its 2-0 loss in the Brazil’s hands on February 24 at the SheBelieves Cup in Orlando.
The Canadians are 9-2-4 this year and their only other loss came in this tournament in Orlando, when the United States won 1-0 at their expense.
The SheBelieves Cup marked Bev Priestman’s debut as a coach and goaltender Kailen Sheridan believes that’s what set the tone for the year.
“It was a big training at the camp. In most cases, it was new staff too, Sheridan said. At that point, I think everyone knew it would be an extremely competitive year and Bev instilled that into us. Our mindset was to understand Bev and understand what we could accomplish as a team. It benefited us this summer and it still benefits us today. ”
Priestman brought in new faces, saying the players bring their talent as well as “a desire and a thirst to do whatever they can to wear Canada’s jersey.”
Sheridan, who has recovered from surgery to be part of the Olympic team, knows a lot about the competition.
Canada is bursting with talent as a goaltender.
38-year-old goaltender Erin McLeod has appeared in 119 national team games while Stephanie Labbé, 35, has appeared in 85 games. The 26-year-old Sheridan has appeared in 14 games while Sabrina D’Angelo, 28, has appeared in eight clashes.
“It’s an interesting dynamic because there’s only one going to play and that’s what we want. We know other people want it too, said Sheridan. We are going to push ourselves to the best of our ability. If I get better every day, it’s going to make them want to improve every day. And vice versa. ”
Canada’s depth was evident when D’Angelo suffered an injury at camp in Mexico. Priestman has called on 19-year-old Anna Karpenko as a replacement.
The games against Mexico, which sit third in CONCACAF behind Canada and the United States, provide Priestman’s side with an opportunity to play at altitude against a direct opponent.
Canada has won five in a row against Mexico and is undefeated in its last 14 games (12-0-2) since a 2-1 loss in March 2004. Its overall record against the Mexicans is 22-1- 2.
The only defeat, however, was costly. She performed in the March 2004 CONCACAF semi-finals in San José, Costa Rica, and deprived the women’s national team of a spot at the Athens Olympics.
The Canadians have played twice since their Olympic triumph in Tokyo, beating New Zealand 5-1 in Ottawa and 1-0 in Montreal. These victories marked the start of what has been dubbed the “Celebration Tour”.
Priestman’s side are expected to play away games during the February international window. Canada Soccer said the Celebration Tour will continue with home games next spring.
The Canadians are also preparing for the CONCACAF women’s championship next July, which will determine qualification for the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics.
Meanwhile, the Canadian team will be following with interest the results of the Ballon d’Or, which will be announced on Monday. Captain Christine Sinclair, Ashley Lawrence and Jessie Fleming are among the 20 finalists for player of the year around the world.
Sinclair is also in the running for the title of best FIFA player. Priestman is a finalist for the title of FIFA’s best female coach while Labbé will seek to win the title of FIFA’s best goalkeeper. The winners will be announced on January 17th.