Ottawa, Ontario Canadian Women’s World Cup Team head coach Even Pellerud has announced his 20-player roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Olympic Qualifications in San Jose, Costa Rica from February 25 – March 5, 2004. The Canadian team travelled on Tuesday, February 17 to begin final preparations for next week’s qualifications.
Canada will compete in Group A with Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Panama and will begin against Jamaica on Thursday, February 26th at 4:00 p.m. (local). Canada will then play Panama on Saturday, February 28th at 1:00 p.m. (local) before ending group play against Costa Rica on Monday, March 1st at 8:00 p.m. (local).
Ottawa, Ontario Canadian Women’s World Cup Team head coach Even Pellerud has announced his 20-player roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Olympic Qualifications in San Jose, Costa Rica from February 25 – March 5, 2004. The Canadian team travelled on Tuesday, February 17 to begin final preparations for next week’s qualifications.
Canada will compete in Group A with Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Panama and will begin against Jamaica on Thursday, February 26th at 4:00 p.m. (local). Canada will then play Panama on Saturday, February 28th at 1:00 p.m. (local) before ending group play against Costa Rica on Monday, March 1st at 8:00 p.m. (local).
The World Cup success in the fall of 2003 is by now a good, but remote memory, said Pellerud. Our goals are high and we desperately wish to win a spot in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. We expect host nation Costa Rica to become our strongest opponent in the first round as they had a competitive team at the 2002 Gold Cup, and have an emerging program.
This is the first CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament. The two finalists will gain berths at the Athens Olympics. Greece has an automatic spot as hosts while Sweden and Germany will represent UEFA based on their being the two highest finishing teams at the 2003 World Cup. Other Confederations will also hold qualifying tournaments. In 2000 and 1996, FIFA selected the top seven finishers from the previous World Cups along with the host country. The United States has been the sole CONCACAF representative in the last two Olympics.
The roster consists of 16-players selected from the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup in which Canada placed fourth; Tanya Dennis, Randee Hermus, Charmaine Hooper, Kara Lang, Christine Latham, Karina LeBlanc, Diana Matheson, Erin McLeod, Isabelle Morneau, Carmelina Moscato, Andrea Neil, Sharolta Nonen, Christine Sinclair, Taryn Swiatek, Brittany Timko, and Rhian Wilkinson.
New to Pellerud’s roster is Hamilton, Ontario native Melissa Tancredi; a defender named to the second team All-America squad in the 2003 NCAA season with the University of Notre Dame. This is her first call-up to the senior team. Others added who were not part of the 2003 Women’s World Cup roster are Aysha Jamani of Calgary, Alberta, Veronique Maranda of Saint-Lambert, Quebec, and Ottawa Fury/University of Tennessee midfielder/defender Marie-Eve Nault, of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.
We have a strong team selected for this event in Costa Rica, where the two semi-final winners will go to Athens. There are three new athletes in the roster since the Four Nations Tournament in China: Christine Latham and Kara Lang are both recovered from injuries, and newcomer Melissa Tancredi is a former striker now transformed into a top NCAA defender.
Beginning today, we will use the next week of practice to meld the team together before we kick-off on the 26th, added Pellerud.
CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Schedule Athens 2004
Final Round Competition
Hosted In San Jose, Costa Rica February 25 – March 5, 2004
Group A: Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama
Group B: Haiti, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, USA
Time (local)tGametTeam 1tTeam 2tVenue
02.25.2004
13:00tW1tMexicotHaïtitNacional
15:00tW2tUSAtT&TtNacional
02.26.2004
18:00tW3tCanadatJamaicatE.R. Cordero
20:00tW4tCosta RicatPanamatE.R. Cordero
02.27.2004
18:00tW5tMexicotT&TtE.R. Cordero
20:00tW6ttHaïtitUSAtE.R. Cordero
02.28.2004
13:00tW7tPanamatCanadatNacional
15:00tW8tCosta RicatJamaicatNacional
02.29.2004
13:00tW9tT&TtHaïtitNacional
15:00tW10tUSAtMexicotNacional
03.01.2004
18:00tW11tJamaicatPanamatE.R. Cordero
20:00tW12tCosta RicatCanadatE.R. Cordero
03.03.2004
12:00tWS1tWinner Group AtRunner Up Group BtNacional
14:30tWS2tWinner Group BtRunner Up Group AtNacional
03.05.2004
17:30tWCtLoser WS1tLoser WS2tE.R. Cordero
20:00tWFtWinner WS1tWinner WS2tE.R. Cordero
ROSTER
NametPos.tDOBtClub/AffiliationtHometown/Province
Dennis, TanyatDt08/26/85tUniversity of NebraskatMississauga, ON
Hermus, RandeetDt11/14/79tVancouver WhitecapstVancouver, BC
Hooper, CharmainetF/Dt01/15/68tAtlanta BeattOttawa, ON
Jamani, AyshatFt06/28/87tSouthwest UnitedtCalgary, AB
Lang, KaratFt10/22/86tVancouver WhitecapstMississauga, ON
Latham, ChristinetFt09/15/81tUniversity of NebraskatCalgary, AB
LeBlanc, KarinatGKt03/30/80tBoston BreakerstMaple Ridge, BC
Maranda, VeroniquetMFt08/18/86tSelecte Rive-SudtSaint Lambert, QC
Matheson, DianatMFt06/04/84tToronto InfernotOakville, ON
McLeod, ErintGKt02/26/83tVancouver WhitecapstCalgary, AB
Morneau, IsabelletDt04/18/76tOttawa FurytLongueuil, QC
Moscato, CarmelinatMFt02/05/84tVancouver WhitecapstMississauga, ON
Nault, Marie-EvetMF/Dt02/16/82tUniversity of TennesseetTrois-Rivieres, QC
Neil, AndreatMFt11/26/71tVancouver WhitecapstVancouver, BC
Nonen, SharoltatDt12/30/77tAtlanta BeattVancouver, BC
Sinclair, ChristinetFt12/06/83tVancouver WhitecapstBurnaby, BC
Swiatek, TaryntGKt04/02/81tOttawa FurytCalgary, AB
Tancredi, MelissatDt12/28/81tUniversity of Notre DametHamilton, ON
Timko, BrittanytMFt05/09/85tUniversity of NebraskatVancouver, BC
Wilkinson, RhiantMF/Ft12/05/82tOttawa FurytBaie D’Urfe, QC
STAFF
Newman, Adrian Head of Delegation
Pellerud, Even Head Coach
Bridge, Ian Assistant Coach
Brodsgaard, Shel Goalkeeper Coach
Sebrango, Kim Manager
Campbell, Cathy Team Doctor
Mair, Holly Equipment Manager/Massage Therapist
Bay, Greg Therapist
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