U20 Women Head For Chile 2008 Women’s World Cup

Canada’s women’s U-20 team announced its roster for the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Chile 2008. Coach Ian Bridge presented his 21-player selection at a press conference in Richmond , BC this morning. The team has been training in the Vancouver area and will continue to do so before leaving for Chile next week.

Canada is heading to its fourth-straight FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. At the inaugural world championship in 2002, Canada won a silver medal on home soil, doing so after an 0:1 extra-time loss to the United States . Since that first tournament, Canada has defeated the United States twice in the confederation championship, winning both the 2004 and 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championships.

Canada’s lineup features five returning players from the last FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Russia 2006. Erin McNulty (who was also at Thailand 2004), Paige Adams, Taryne Boudreau, Kaylyn Kyle and Loredana Riverso will all be counted for leadership. Along with those five veterans, Canada will count on national-team players Jonelle Filigno (who represented Canada at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament) and Lexi Marton (who helped Canada finish second at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament).

Fifteen of the 21 players won gold medals at the 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship in Puebla , Mexico . The additions are Riverso, Andreanne Gagné, Rachael Goulding, Anoop Josan, Rita Keimakh and Alyssa Lagonia. The youngest player on the Chile 2008 roster is still Monica Lam-Feist, last year’s Canadian U-17 Player of the Year.

At Chile 2008, Canada will play in Group C against Congo DR, Germany and Japan . Canada plays Japan on 20 November ( Santiago ), Congo DR on 23 November ( Santiago ), and Germany on 27 November (Coquimbo). To advance, Canada will need to finish amongst the top-two teams in the group. Canada ’s potential quarter-final match is 1 December, the semi-final match is 4 December, and the final is 7 December.