Canada women’s soccer faces ‘physical’ challenge against Iceland

Canada’s interim coach, Cindy Tye, is gearing up for a tough challenge as the sixth-ranked Canadian women’s soccer team prepares to take on No. 13 Iceland in an international friendly in Spain.

Iceland had an impressive qualifying campaign for the 2025 UEFA Women’s Championship, finishing as runners-up to Germany in their group. Notably, they secured a 3-0 victory over Germany, marking the first time the Germans had been defeated by three goals in a competitive match since 2008. Tye emphasized the physicality and speed of the Icelandic team, highlighting the need for the Canadians to match their opponents’ intensity while also capitalizing on transition opportunities.

Following the match against Iceland, Canada will face No. 19 South Korea at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia on Tuesday. Tye, who normally coaches the Canadian under-20 women’s team, is leading the senior squad for the November friendlies as Canada Soccer continues its search for a permanent head coach.

The Canadian team is without several key players due to injuries, including Kadeisha Buchanan, Sydney Collins, Cloe Lacasse, Evelyne Viens, and Quinn. Additionally, Jordyn Huitema is unavailable for personal reasons. However, the absence of these veterans has opened the door for young talents like Janet Okeke and Nyah Rose, who received their first senior call-ups for the Spain fixtures.

Okeke and Rose, who both represented Canada at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, are part of a new generation of Canadian players being integrated into the senior team. Tye emphasized the importance of giving these young players opportunities to showcase their abilities during the upcoming matches.

Canada has a positive history against both Iceland and South Korea, with the women’s team holding a 7-1-1 record against South Korea and having previously faced Iceland at the Algarve Cup. The upcoming friendlies will provide a platform for the Canadian squad to continue their development and build towards future competitions.

As the FIFA window marks Canada’s final camp of the year, the team will be looking to end 2024 on a high note. The Canadian women have had a successful year, with an 8-0-6 record, despite some penalty shootout losses to top-ranked teams like Germany and the United States.

Tye’s coaching staff for the Spain fixtures includes familiar faces like Neil Wood and Jen Herst, as well as interim assistant coach Katie Collar and performance analyst Maryse Bard-Martel. The absence of assistant coach Andy Spence for this camp will see Collar taking on a more prominent role alongside the coaching team.

Overall, the upcoming friendlies against Iceland and South Korea present an opportunity for Canada to test their mettle against strong opposition and continue the development of their young talents. The Canadian women will be looking to end the year on a high note and build towards future success on the international stage.