By Canadian Press

Canadian women’s soccer team names roster for Japan trip

Sep 26, 2019 | 9:21 AM

OTTAWA — Canada will go with a familiar roster for its women’s soccer friendly against host Japan next month.

Twenty-one of the 24 players on the roster for the Oct. 6 game in Shizuoka return from Canada’s World Cup squad.

The newcomers are defenders Vanessa Gilles and Jade Rose as well as forward Jessica De Flilippo, who will make her senior national team debut.

Forwards Nichelle Prince and Jenna Hellstrom are out with injuries. They’re the only players not making the trip from the World Cup squad.

Canada, which was eliminated in the round of 16 at the World Cup, is gearing up for the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament early next year. The top two teams there will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics next year.

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Japan, which also lost in the round of 16 at the World Cup, already is assured of an Olympic berth as host.

The teams also will square off in a closed exhibition match on Oct. 7, ending a nine-day run overseas for Canada.

Canada is 4-6-3 against Japan all time, including a win in the most recent match last year at the Algarve Cup.

“Everything that we are doing now is preparing to qualify for next year’s Olympic Games in Japan,” Canada coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller said in a statement. “We will be taking advantage of everything during our time in Japan, so both facing an opponent who has a very good track record as former FIFA Women’s World Cup champions as well as familiarizing ourselves in the host country ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2019.

The Canadian Press