Starting this Sunday, June 26, and running until the final on Sunday, July 17, the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup will take place in Germany with major significance on the line for the host country. The two-time reigning World Cup champions have spent decades on preparation in player development, looking to perfect their game in order to win a third straight title - this time on home soil. For the Canadian women’s national soccer team, Germany 2011 presents an opportunity to celebrate their arrival as one of the true powers in women’s soccer on the world’s biggest stage before Canada host the next FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015.
Canada booked their place in the World Cup by winning the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, an eight team qualifier that saw the squad go undefeated in the group stage before defeating Costa Rica and then hosts Mexico in the final to capture the regional championship and earn a trip to Germany.
The Red and White will begin their quest for global glory in Group A against France, Nigeria, and hosts Germany. Entering the tournament as the sixth ranked country in the world, Canada have expectations of advancing through the group stage, with their hopeful journey towards Frankfurt on full display for the world to see.
Among the 21 players selected by head coach Carolina Morace are 14 former members of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC women's team. They include goalkeeper Erin McLeod; defenders Candace Chapman, Robyn Gayle, Brittany Timko, and Emily Zurrer; midfielders Kaylyn Kyle, Carmelina Moscato, Sophie Schmidt, Desiree Scott, and Chelsea Stewart; and strikers Jonelle Filigno, Jodi-Ann Robinson, Christine Sinclair, and Melissa Tancredi.
After finishing in fourth place during the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2003, Canada will be looking to overcome their semi-disastrous World Cup in 2007 when they failed to advance from the group stage. However, with perhaps their deepest squad ever assembled – and with additional momentum from being named host of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015 – Canada feels primed to make a deep run in Germany to earn some desired hardware.
But earning the right to play in the World Cup final will not be an easy task. With heavy competition breathing down their necks from Germany and France, Canada will have to be at their best to make it out of their group. However, Canadian captain Christine Sinclair feels that this chance could be special. "There is a sense of confidence," Sinclair told The Canadian Press. "In the past, we obviously knew we were talented and knew what we were capable of, but the team has a different feel about it right now. We've won tournaments in the build-up to the World Cup and that's something we haven't done in the past.”
The group stage component of the tournament could be an instant classic. Germany, winners of the last World Cup in 2007 and the second ranked team in the world, is the only country that Canada remain winless against in international competition, with the Germans holding a 11W-0L-0D all-time record against the Canucks. The opening match of the tournament promises to be a thrilling affair as Canada face the hosts in front of 73,000 rabid German fans at Olympic Stadium in Berlin. France – who enter the tournament a spot behind Canada at seventh in the world rankings – will be looking to play spoiler and battle Canada for second place in the group. If Canada can get out of these first two battles with positive results, it could give them momentum to head on a deep tournament run.
Telling Morace that Canada’s matches will be tough wouldn’t really be telling her anything at all. "We have to think match by match," said Morace to The Canadian Press. "For every country, the World Cup is the biggest event in four years and I think the target for everybody is to [advance] out of the first group. We are prepared absolutely for that. We have sent our scouts around Europe to watch all the matches. We want to be prepared to meet all teams that we have in our group without surprise."
All of Canada’s World Cup matches will be showcased on CBC and Rogers Sportsnet. All round-robin matches will be broadcast live on CBC and streamed live at cbcsports.ca, with coverage of Canada’s opener this Sunday, June 26 against Germany starting at 8:45 a.m. PT. CBC will then broadcast the second match pitting Canada versus France on Thursday, June 30, again starting at 8:45 a.m. PT, and Canada’s final group game against Nigeria on Tuesday, July 5, at 11:30 a.m. PT.
