Priestman names SheBelieves Cup roster

Canada women’s soccer coach Bev Priestman has named an 18-player roster for a camp in advance of the SheBelieves Cup, with reinforcements expected to arrive once the FIFA international window opens.

The camp will run Feb. 8-12, with Priestman slated to announce her tournament roster ahead of Canada’s opening match Feb. 16 against the top-ranked U.S. in Orlando.

The sixth-ranked Canadians then play No. 9 Brazil on Feb. 19 in Nashville and No. 11 Japan on Feb. 22 in Frisco, Texas.

The camp roster predominantly features players from out-of-season leagues like the National Women’s Soccer League and Sweden’s Damallsvenskan.

It does not include such Englishbased players as goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo (Arsenal), defenders Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea) and Shelina Zadorsky (Tottenham), midfielder Jessie Fleming (Chelsea) and striker Adriana Leon (Manchester United) or Francebased fullback/midfielder Ashley Lawrence (Paris St-Germain).

This is Canada’s second trip to the tournament. The Canadian women also played there in 2021 in Priestman’s first outing as coach. Canada defeated Argentina 1-0 but lost 1-0 to the U.S. and 2-0 to Brazil.

Canada lost only one more match the rest of that year, finishing 2021 with a 7-3-7 record and the gold medal from the Tokyo Olympics.

Priestman and the Canadian women are preparing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer. Canada plays No. 45 Nigeria on July 21 in Melbourne before facing No. 23 Ireland on July 26 in Perth and No. 12 Australia on July 31 back in Melbourne.