Veteran Sinclair to be joined by teenagers at B. C. Place friendly
Christine Sinclair is slated to suit up for the Canadian women’s soccer team for the 260th time when her squad hosts the Americans next Thursday at B. C. Place, while Julia Grosso could get her first cap.
Burnaby forward Sinclair, 34, was one of 11 players from the 2016 Olympic bronze- medal winners named to coach John Herdman’s squad for next week’s exhibition game, while Vancouver midfielder Grosso, 17, was among six teens who made the 19- player roster, along with Chilliwack forward Jordyn Huitema, 16.
Because the games fall outside the international side, Herdman was unable to call on Europeanbased players like defender Kadeisha Buchanan, 21, and midfielder Sophie Schmidt, 29.
This roster, which will also take on the Americans on Nov. 12 in San Jose, Calif., averages 23 years of age and has a combined 731 appearances for the senior national side. Sinclair and midfielder Desiree Scott, 30, with her 126 caps, make up 53 per cent of that. Grosso is among four players who have yet to play for the top team, while Huitema has seen duty four times.
The Americans are the No. 1- ranked team, according to FIFA, while the Canadians are No. 5.
“There’s a lot of hunger and excitement in the players who are new to the group,” Herdman explained Thursday. “A real opportunity sits in front of at least a couple of players. When you open the door to new faces, they tend to bring a different type of energy.”
According to Canada Soccer, more than 23,500 tickets have already been sold for Thursday. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the Lower Mainland has supported women’s soccer in the past.
The last time the Americans played at B. C. Place, they won the World Cup, beating Japan 5- 2 before a crowd of 53,341 on July 5, 2015. Attendance at the downtown stadium for Canada’s 2- 1 loss to England in the quarter- finals days earlier was announced at 54,000.
According to The Canadian Press, the last time Canada beat the U. S. was in 2001, a 3- 0 decision at the Algarve Cup. The Canadians have gone 0- 27- 5 against the Americans since then.
“I think there’s an excitement in our group to come back to B. C. Place,” said Herdman. “The memories of 54,000 people singing O Canada are still there and there’s a feeling that maybe we could create something like that again.
“You know you need the crowd behind when you play a team like the U. S., who have 10 times the population and 10 times the budget and 10 times the player depth. You know you need every advantage you can get. Hopefully the crowd at B. C. Place can dig in for us and help push us over the hump.”
A good chunk of that crowd will be there to watch Sinclair. She told the media after that loss to England two years ago that she hoped to play in the 2019 World Cup, which is in France. She had a sterling season this year in the National Women’s Soccer League, helping the Portland Thorns win the title. She led Portland in goals with eight, and played all but 17 minutes in Portland’s 24 regularseason matches.
“She’s one of the greatest sports heroes this country has ever produced,” said Herdman. “You just look at the longevity. She’s been doing it for 15 odd years. There’s not many who can say that they’ve helped carry a country in a sport for that long. The B. C. crowd recognizes what she’s done, not only in B. C., but in the rest of the country.”