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‘This Is Not a Friendly’: Canadian Women Honing Identity Ahead of Qualifiers
Casey Stoney says the matches will test Canada’s progress as it seeks a top-eight FIFA ranking and World Cup qualification.
- On Friday, Canada's ninth-ranked women's soccer team hosts Denmark in Montreal, followed by a second match in Toronto on Monday. Head coach Casey Stoney characterized the fixtures as performance tests, not friendly exhibitions.
- These matches prepare the Canadians for the CONCACAF W Championship quarterfinals against Panama on Nov. 28. The team seeks qualification for both the 2027 World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
- Building on 18 months of progress, Stoney stated, "We need to take different risks now to try and create more opportunities to score goals while remaining hard to beat." The squad aims for greater offensive creativity.
- Defender Gabrielle Carle noted Denmark is a "very good side" that qualified for the World Cup after topping a group featuring Italy and Sweden. Canada must counter threats like Bayern Munich standout Pernille Harder.
- Beyond immediate results, Canada seeks to climb into the top eight of FIFA's rankings to secure a more favorable World Cup draw. Playing elite European opponents is central to Stoney's strategy for elevating the program's standing.
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13 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources13
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution60% Center
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
60% Center
L 40%
C 60%
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