By Canadian Press

New coach Casey Stoney includes two NSL players in her first Canada squad selection

Feb 6, 2025 | 9:08 AM

Casey Stoney has chosen two players from the new Northern Super League in her first squad selection as Canada coach, a 26-player roster for the Pinatar Cup later this month in Spain.

Stoney has called up midfielders Samantha Chang from the Vancouver Rise and Emma Regan from AFC Toronto. The 24-year-old Chang, who has one senior cap, and the 25-year-old Regan, who has four caps, both came to the new Canadian league from Denmark’s HB Koge.

There would have been a third NSL player in the squad had midfielder Quinn not been injured. The 29-year-old Quinn, who joined the Vancouver Rise from the NWSL’s Seattle Reign, has won 104 caps.

The six-team NSL kicks off in mid-April.

Sixth-ranked Canada takes on No. 17 China on Feb. 19 before facing No. 31 Mexico on Feb. 22 and No. 42 Taiwan on Feb. 25 at the Pinatar Cup. All three games will be played at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia.

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Stoney, formerly coach of the Manchester United women and the NWSL’s San Diego Wave, was named Canada coach on Jan. 13.

“It’s an exciting moment for me to select my first squad for our upcoming Pinatar Cup,” Stoney said in a statement. “This is the first step in what I hope will be an exciting journey for our team, and I’m looking forward to working with such a talented group of players. It’s time to get to work.”

The former England captain succeeds Bev Priestman, who left Canada Soccer after being sent home as a result of the drone-spying scandal at last summer’s Paris Olympics.

Veterans on the squad include captain Jessie Fleming, Kailen Sheridan, Vanessa Gilles, Ashley Lawrence, Shelina Zadorsky, Julia Grosso, Janine Beckie, Jordyn Huitema, Adriana Leon and Nichelle Prince.

Also unavailable due to injury are Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea), Sydney Collins (North Carolina Courage), Cloé Lacasse (Utah Royals) and Deanne Rose (Leicester City).

Defender Jade Rose (Harvard University) joins the squad as she continues her injury rehabilitation, but will not see game action, according to Canada Soccer.

Stoney’s roster includes 20 of the 23 players called in by interim coach Cindy Tye for November-December friendlies against Iceland and South Korea in Spain.

North Carolina State defender Janet Okeke and Sporting CP midfielder Jeneva Hernandez Gray, both part of the last roster, will be away with the under-20 team for CONCACAF U-20 qualifying play in Trinidad and Tobago. Deanne Rose was also part of the November roster.

Canada’s under-20 squad features two NSL players in AFC Toronto’s April Lantaigne and Kaylee Hunter.

In addition to Jade Rose, there are two other NCAA players on Stoney’s roster: Ella Ottey from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and SMU’s Nyah Rose, both 19.

Nyah Rose, Jade’s younger sister, won her first senior cap coming off the bench in the 5-1 win over South Korea on Dec. 3. It’s a second senior call-up for the uncapped Ottey.

Angel City defender Megan Reid, a 28-year-old California native who qualifies for Canada through her Ottawa-born mother, is also summoned after making her debut against South Korea.

The Pinatar Cup roster includes 12 players from teams in Europe and nine from the NWSL.

Canada holds an 8-14-5 career record against China but has dominated the rivalry of late, winning the last seven meetings while outscoring the Chinese 12-4. One of the draws turned into a penalty shootout win for Canada at the Pacific Cup in Australia in June 2000, Canada’s first-ever win over the Chinese after seven straight losses that saw the Canadians outscored 23-2.

Canada is 23-2-4 all-time against Mexico. The last time they met was a two-game series ahead of the Paris Olympics with Canada winning the opener 2-0 in Montreal followed by a 1-1 draw in Toronto.

One of the Canadian losses was costly, however, with a 2-1 defeat in March 2004 denying Canada a berth at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The other defeat came in a 2021 friendly in Mexico City.

Canada and Taiwan have only met once before with Canada losing 2-0 in December 1987 at the China Cup in Taiwan in a game that featured two 35-minute halves.

The Pinatar Cup was first held in 2020. It’s Canada’s first time at the tournament, previously won by Scotland, Belgium, Iceland and Finland.

Canada Roster

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); Ella Ottey, University of Wisconsin-Madison (NCAA); Megan Reid, Angel City FC (NWSL); Jayde Riviere, Manchester United (England); Jade Rose, Harvard University (NCAA); Bianca St-Georges, North Carolina Courage (NWSL); Shelina Zadorsky, West Ham (England).

Midfielders: Marie-Yasmine Alidou, Benfica (Portugal); Simi Awujo, Manchester United (England); Samantha Chang, Vancouver Rise (NSL); Jessie Fleming, Portland Thorns (NWSL); Julia Grosso, Chicago Red Stars (NWSL); Emma Regan, AFC Toronto (NSL).

Forwards: Janine Beckie, Racing Louisville (NWSL); Jordyn Huitema, Seattle Reign (NWSL); Clarissa Larisey, Crystal Palace (England); Adriana Leon, Aston Villa (England); Nichelle Prince, Kansas City Current (NWSL); Nyah Rose, SMU (NCAA); Olivia Smith, Liverpool (England); Evelyne Viens, AS Roma (Italy).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2025.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

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