Canada, boosted by the return of captains Christine Sinclair and Ashley Lawrence, will face a familiar foe in Brazil on Friday in the first of a two-game international friendly series.
The Canadians, seventh in the standings, will face first Brazil, 9th in Santos, before the return match Tuesday in Sao Paulo.
Canada is 8-9-9 against Brazil since their first meeting in 1996.
Their most recent encounter was at the Tokyo Olympics, where the Canadians prevailed 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the quarter-final match ended 0-0.
“I think they’ve evolved from the Olympics,” coach Bev Priestman said Thursday. “I remember that game wasn’t the most exciting. I think you had two tired teams and I think they added some legs to the team.”
“It will represent what we have always seen from Brazil, which is a really tough game,” she added. “They’re great in transition. We’re going to have all our standards and habits both defensively but also be brave in attack to unlock them and try to hurt them.”
Canada also beat Brazil 2-1 in the bronze medal game at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Priestman is once again lacking in players.
Janine Beckie (Portland), Vanessa Gilles (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Deanne Rose (Reading, England), Allysha Chapman (Houston Dash) and collegiate players Simi Awujo and Zoe Burns (USC), Jade Rose (Harvard) and Jayde Rivière (University of Michigan) are all unavailable.
The Canadians are on a four-game winning streak heading into the trip to Brazil.
But Sinclair, Lawrence and Gabrielle Carle, absent in the October window that saw wins over No.29 Morocco (4-0) and No.76 Argentina (2-0), return to the line-up for matches in Brazil.
Sinclair, 39, and Lawrence, 27, have 428 Canadian selections between them.
“You will absolutely see both,” Priestman said. “I think there could be between six and eight games before a World Cup kicks off. You look at these two players and they are a big part of the success of this team.
“I felt the impact of both very, very quickly (in training). Ashley looks fresh, looks ready to go. And Christine brings both the technical standard to midfield but also the leadership – and just calm, to be honest. She’s got a lot of experience and I think everyone around her feels the same.”
Canada and Brazil have qualified for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The Canadians were drawn in Pool B with Australia (13th), Ireland (24th) and Nigeria (45th).
Deanne Rose and Chapman remain injured while Gilles has just returned from an injury layoff. Beckie is taking a “planned break” after an extended season which started with Manchester City and ended with the Portland Thorns.
Missing college players have school commitments.
With spots available, Priestman called up three members of the Canadian Under-17 team.
These are the first senior invitations for fullback Ella Ottey and forwards Amanda Allen and Annabelle Chukwu. All three were among Canada’s best players at the recent FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, where the young Canadians failed to qualify for the round of 16 after going 0. -1-2 in chicken.
“It’s really exposure and a chance to see how they fit into this group. What I would say is they don’t look out of place at all,” Priestman said.
Priestman’s side are 10-2-3 this year, the top-seeded Americans (1-0) in the CONCACAF W Championship final in Mexico in July and No. 6 Spain in the Arnold Cup Clark in England in February.
In September, the Canadians won twice (1-0 and 2-1) in Australia.
Priestman noted that the Canadians have faced a team from every continent in 2022.
“I don’t know if that’s been a thing in the past,” she said. “We have also targeted more European opponents due to their presence at the World Cup.”
“So I think (the) Australian (series) and this Brazilian test is something we need,” she added.
The Canadians will not return to the Arnold Clark Cup in February, with Italy (14th), South Korea (17th) and Belgium (20th) joining fourth-placed England.
Priestman said she was looking for a different opposition in the February window.
The Canadian men, ranked 41st in the world, are also in action on Friday, taking on No. 85 Bahrain at Mamama. John Herdman doesn’t have his full squad for the World Cup warm-up, with European clubs still in action.
CANADA
Goalkeepers: Sabrina D’Angelo, Vittsjo GIK (Sweden); Lysianne Proulx, SCU Torreense (Portugal); Kailen Sheridan, San Diego Wave (NWSL).
Defenders: Kadeisha Buchanan, Chelsea (England); Gabrielle Carle, Kristianstads DFF (Sweden); Ashley Lawrence, Paris Saint Germain (France); Marie Levasseur, Fleury FC (France); Ella Ottey, National Development Center Ontario; Bianca St-Georges, Chicago Red Stars (NWSL); Sura Yekka, AC Le Havre (France); Shelina Zadorsky, Tottenham (England).
Midfielders: Jessie Fleming, Chelsea (England); Julia Grosso, Juventus (Italy); Quinn, OL Reign (NWSL); Sophie Schmidt, Houston Dash (NWSL); Desiree Scott, Kansas City Current (NWSL); Christine Sinclair (captain), Portland Thorns (NWSL).
Forwards: Amanda Allen, National Development Center Ontario; Annabelle Chukwu, National Development Center Ontario; Jordyn Huitema, OL Reign (NWSL); Cloe Lacasse, SL Benfica (Portugal); Clarissa Larisey, Glasgow Celtic (Scotland); Adriana Leon, Manchester United (England); Nichelle Prince, Houston Dash (NWSL); Evelyne Viens, Kristianstads DFF (Sweden).
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