In an exciting development for Canadian women’s football, Cindy Tye has been named interim coach for upcoming international friendlies against Iceland and South Korea. Tye, who is currently the coach of Canada’s U20 women’s team, takes on the role following the resignation of head coach Bev Priestman following a concerning report regarding the drone spying incident at the Olympics.
Canada Soccer has confirmed that Priestman, along with assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi, faces a one-year suspension imposed by FIFA. With Lombardi having already resigned from her position, the responsibility now falls to Tye, a former Canadian international, who also serves as assistant athletic director and head women’s coach at Dalhousie University.
Tye will work alongside returning assistant coach Neil Wood, as well as Katie Collar as interim assistant coach, Jen Herst as current goalkeeping coach, and Maryse Bard-Martel taking on the role. acting performance analyst.
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Unfortunately for Canada, assistant coach Andy Spence, who previously led the team through the Olympics and their recent draw against Spain, will not participate in this camp but is expected to return during the next international window of FIFA.
Preparing for upcoming games, the Canadian squad includes some familiar faces from Tye’s U20 team, such as North Carolina State University defender Janet Okeke and SMU forward, Nyah Rose, both set to earn their first senior team caps.
Okeke, 18, is from Laval, Quebec, while Rose, 19, is from Markham, Ontario. Both players showcased their talent at the recent FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup held in Colombia in September. Notably, Jade Rose, Nyah’s older sister, has 26 senior team caps but will miss the trip to Spain due to injury.
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The list also includes second-time call-ups for Jeneva Hernandez Gray, an 18-year-old midfielder for Whitecaps FC’s Girls’ Elite team, and Megan Reid, a 28-year-old defender for Angel City in the NWSL.
This latest FIFA window runs from November 25 to December 3, serving as Canada’s final training camp of the year, as North American players enter the off-season while their European counterparts return to their clubs.
Historically, Canada has a good record against Iceland, having faced them twice in the Algarve Cup: a 0-0 draw in February 2019 and a 1-0 victory in March 2016. Regarding South Korea, Canada boasts an impressive 7-1-1 record, remaining undefeated in its last five meetings; their most recent confrontations ended in a 0-0 draw in June 2022 in Toronto.
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The Canadian women’s team, which has an average age of 23, will be without key players such as Kadeisha Buchanan, Sydney Collins, Cloe Lacasse and Quinn, all of whom are out due to injuries. Buchanan, in particular, suffered a serious anterior ligament injury while playing for Chelsea in England. Additionally, Seattle Reign’s Jordyn Huitema is unavailable due to personal reasons.
Among Nyah Rose’s recent successes, she was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference third-team all-star – a first for a player from her program. In her freshman season, she led the American Athletic Conference with 11 goals before her team moved to the ACC.
This year, she was also recognized as one of the top three sophomores on the 2024 Hermann Trophy watch list, which honors top talent in NCAA soccer. Notably, another member of the squad is Deanne Rose, a striker for Leicester City, although the two are not related.
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Okeke has performed well this season, appearing in 11 matches for North Carolina State University, while Hernandez Gray also took part in the U20 World Cup and played a vital role in the Elite squad. of the Whitecaps girls during the first edition of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup.
Reid, a California native, initially left soccer to pursue a career as a paramedic after her time at the University of Virginia, but returned to the field and earned a contract with Angel City through 2025.
The current group includes the following players:
- Goalkeepers: Sabrina D’Angelo (Aston Villa, England), Lysianne Proulx (Juventus, Italy), Kailen Sheridan (San Diego Wave, NWSL).
- Defenders: Gabrielle Carle (Washington Spirit, NWSL), Vanessa Gilles (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea, England), Janet Okeke (North Carolina State University, NCAA), Megan Reid (Angel City, NWSL), Jayde Riviere (Manchester United, England), Shelina Zadorsky (West Ham, England).
- Midfielders: Marie-Yasmine Alidou (Benfica, Portugal), Simi Awujo (Manchester United, Angleterre), Jessie Fleming (Portland Thorns, NWSL), Julia Grosso (Chicago Red Stars, NWSL), Jeneva Hernandez Gray (Vancouver Whitecaps), Emma Regan (HB Koge, Danemark).
- Attackers: Janine Beckie (Racing Louisville, NWSL), Adriana Leon (Aston Villa, England), Nichelle Prince (Kansas City Current, NWSL), Deanne Rose (Leicester City, NWSL), Nyah Rose (Southern Methodist University, NCAA), Olivia Smith (Liverpool, England), Evelyne Viens (AS Roma, Italy).
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