Cyprus Cup 2009 Roster Set

Canada confirms roster before Cyprus Cup
Canada’s women’s national team confirmed its 23-player roster for the 2009 Cyprus Women’s Cup. Canada has been training in Rome this past week undertakes its championship defence beginning this March 5 against New Zealand.

In the opening round, Canada faces New Zealand on March 5, Netherlands on March 7 and Russia on March 10. The opposite group features England, France, Scotland and South Africa. All teams will cross over and play on March 12 to determine their placing in the tournament.

The March 5 match will be Canada’s first under the direction of new head coach Carolina Morace. Morace was named Canada’s new head coach in early February and has since directed Canadian camps in Los Angeles and Rome.

Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners, won the 2008 Cyprus Cup. It was one of the many successes from a landmark year in which Canada qualified for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time in Association history. At the Olympics in Beijing, Canada reached the quarter-final stage before falling to the number-one ranked USA in the quarter final.