Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Women's World Cup Team Head Coach Even Pellerud today announced his 20-player roster for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup in the United States.
Silvana Burtini, Andrea Neil and Charmaine Hooper have been selected to their third consecutive World Cup while Isabelle Morneau, Sharolta Nonen and Karina LeBlanc are the only other players who have World Cup experience, having played in 1999 in the United States.
There are six players from the Under-19 team which won a silver medal at the FIFA Women's World Championship in 2002: Christine Sinclair, Erin McLeod, Sasha Andrews, Carmelina Moscato, Kara Lang and Brittany Timko.
Others include 18-year-old Tanya Dennis who impressed in earning her first two caps against Mexico last week; WUSA defenders Breanna Boyd and Sharolta Nonen (who was named to the WUSA First Team), Randee Hermus and Kristina Kiss who play for Floya in Norway, 19-year-old Diana Matheson who earned her first cap earlier this year, goalkeeper Taryn Swiatek who played for Canada at the Pan Am Games and striker Rhian Wilkinson who made her debut against the US in April.
The squad will assemble in Kingston, Ontario on Thursday, September 11 and will play their final preparation game on Sunday, September 14 at Richardson Stadium in Kingston at 2:00 p.m. (live on Sportsnet in some areas).
The team will then travel to Columbus, Ohio on September 16 and will train there for four days before playing their opening game of Group C against Germany on September 20 at Crew Stadium at 5:45 local time (Rogers Sportsnet). Canada faces Argentina at 8:30 p.m. in Columbus on September 27 (Sportsnet) and wraps up the first round against Japan at 3:30 p.m. on September 27 in Foxboro (Sportsnet).
The Canadians are coming off two consecutive victories over Mexico (by a combined 14-0) and have not lost in nine games, dating back to a last-minute friendly against the United States on April 26. Since then they have won eight games (two-game series sweeps over Mexico - twice, England and Brazil) and drawn once (1-1 against Ghana on August 16).
Canada has played six World Cup games, losing four and drawing twice.