It's been billed as "The Rematch".
That's a bit of a misnomer, of course; Canada and the USA have met in women's soccer dozens and dozens of times. They played three times in 2012 alone. But the friendly at BMO Field on June 2 has special significance. It's the (long-overdue) homecoming for the Olympic bronze medallists, and ostensibly a chance for revenge after the controversy of the semifinal showdown in London.
And even though both sides will sport some familiar faces (the quasi-retired Melissa Tancredi is back for the first time since the Games), there will be a somewhat-unexpected injection of youth into the Canadian squad.
"The blend (of youth and experience) is very similar to what I've been working with over the last eight, nine games for Canada," head coach John Herdman said Wednesday. "We're working with the players that we think, potentially, will be there in 2015."
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That 18-player list, by the by, is as follows:
GK- Karina LeBlanc | USA / Portland Thorns FC
GK- Erin McLeod | USA / Chicago Red Stars
D- Kadeisha Buchanan | USA / West Virginia University*
D- Robyn Gayle | USA / Washington Spirit
D- Carmelina Moscato | USA / Chicago Red Stars
D- Rachel Quon | USA / Chicago Red Stars
D- Lauren Sesselmann | USA / FC Kansas City
D- Rhian Wilkinson | USA / Boston Breakers
D- Emily Zurrer | USA / Seattle Reign FC
M- Kaylyn Kyle | USA / Seattle Reign FC
M- Ashley Lawrence | USA / West Virginia University*
M- Diana Matheson | USA / Washington Spirit
M- Sophie Schmidt | USA / Sky Blue FC
M- Desiree Scott | USA / FC Kansas City
F- Tiffany Cameron | USA / Seattle Reign FC
F- Christina Julien | RUS / WFC Rossiyanka
F- Christine Sinclair | USA / Portland Thorns FC
F- Melissa Tancredi | unattached
Herdman said earlier this year that only players who were "ready" would get the call for such a high-profile game against such a powerful opponent. Clearly he feels that a trio of Canadian youngsters -- teenagers Buchanan and Lawrence, and NWSLer Cameron -- fit that bill. Another young Canadian standout, Adriana Leon, missed the cut this time, but Herdman indicated she will "absolutely" get more chances with the senior squad going forward.
But the biggest, totally-out-of-left-field surprise is the inclusion of Quon, a 22-year-old fullback who was born and raised in the USA and has represented a number of American youth teams. Herdman indicated she was eligible for Canada through "a family connection" (he chose not to be more specific than that), but that the Canadian Soccer Association was still in the process of finalizing her eligiblity with FIFA.
"It hasn't been a straightforward process," he said. "She's been invited into this camp, she's on the roster, she's accepted this opportunity. We're going through the process with FIFA and we're hoping for a favourable outcome."
Herdman said Quon "fits the profile" of the sort of player he's looking for -- one with versatility and the ability to use her left foot. But he also alluded to the fact if Canada's development pipeline was in better shape, his team wouldn't need to be poaching players from south of the border with tangential connections to Canada. Check CSN for more on this in the days to come.
Another non-Olympian is Christina "Corky" Julien, who played in the Olympic qualifying tournament but just barely missed the full Olympic squad. Herdman praised her ability to recover from numerous setbacks -- as well as her current form for her club team in Russia.
"She's playing regularly, I think that's important. There's something about a game-readiness coming into this game," said Herdman. "The reality is, she's scoring goals, she's consistently getting game time, and when you want a bit of Canadian grit, Christina is a player that will give everything for Canada."
Of course, when you want to talk about Canadian grit, you've got to talk about Tanc Mode.
Yes, much to the delight of many Big Red supporters, Tancredi will return to the team despite not having trained or played with them since the Olympics as she pursues her education. It's unlikely she'll start or play close to 90 minutes, but she's sure to get a raucous reception from the partisan home crowd.
"Melissa will bring in that real tenacity and toughness," said Herdman. "She really relishes these games..."
The inclusion of a fan favourite that hasn't seen the pitch in 10 months is clearly a recognition of the game's status as a showcase event -- to that end, Herdman wasn't making any promises about how much playing time the youngsters/newcomers would actually see.
"If the score's 1-0 up with 10 minutes to go, we understand the importance to Canada of moving the mindset," he said. It's also about "understanding the relevance of this game to our country, which may influence decision-making (as a manager).
"I think the biggest development aspect of this game is we get the first taste of playing at home in Canada, which we absolutely have to be prepared for in 2015."
Indeed, Herdman said the pressure of playing the 2015 Women's World Cup in Canada could "potentially be our biggest hindrance."
Of course, Herdman has been widely praised for the meticulous approach he took in rebuilding the team's psychological fortitude following the disaster of the 2011 World Cup -- so he's surely earned the benefit of the doubt as it relates to his approach to this match.
Now, as far as the psychological fortitude of the Canadian fanbase... well... ask me about that at around 4:30 p.m. next Sunday.
Game notes:
- As with other FIFA international "A" friendlies, teams will be allowed six substitutions. While that means every out-field player could theoretically see the field, expect Herdman's decision-making to be guided by his oft-cited deference to the significance of this game.
- Jonelle Filigno was set to be a part of the roster but will miss the game due to family matters. Herdman suggested that a 19th player may be added to the roster in the days ahead.