Canada coach Bev Priestman finds herself having to play injury Whac-A-Mole in the lead-up to this summer’s Paris Olympics.
Veterans Janine Beckie and Desiree Scott are back in the fold from lengthy injury layoffs ahead of ninth-ranked Canada’s opening game against No. 10 Brazil on Saturday at the SheBelieves Cup at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. But others are missing.
“You could say [the squad] feels more complete [with Beckie and Scott] but it also feels very depleted,” said Priestman.
Quinn and Olivia Smith dropped out of the squad due to concussion and a knee knock, respectively, on the eve of the tournament, joining Sydney Collins, Nichelle Prince and Jayde Riviere on the sidelines.
“At this point you want to start really getting some flow, fluidity, partnerships. And that’s definitely been hampered,” said Priestman.
WATCH | Canada falls to U.S. in penalties at W Gold Cup in March:
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher stops three penalties and scores one herself as the United States wins 3-1 in a shootout after Canada rallied twice to tie it 2-2 in the semifinals of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup.
Forward Clarissa Larisey is in camp but is not 100 per cent and is being assessed.
Priestman looks to see the glass half-full.
“Out of these moments I’ve seen players been given an opportunity, and really step up,” she said. “I think that’s what will end up happening, particularly off the bench.”
Scott, Beckie returning slowly
Both Beckie and Scott have joined Canada at recent camps, not seeing action but continuing their “return to play” protocols.
The 36-year-old Scott earned the last of her 185 Canada caps in November 2022 in a 2-1 win over Brazil. Like Beckie, the Kansas City Current midfielder missed the 2023 NWSL season after knee surgery but returned to action last weekend when she came off the bench in stoppage time in Kansas City’s 4-2 win over Angel City FC.
Scott also missed playing time due to the recent death of her mother.
The 29-year-old Beckie, who has 36 goals in 101 appearances for Canada, underwent surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee after going down in a Portland Thorns pre-season game in March 2023.
WATCH | Priestman breaks down Olympic opponents:
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Canadian national team head coach Bev Priestman analyzes the three teams her defending champion squad will be facing in the group stage of the Olympic women’s soccer tournament in Paris this summer. Those three teams are third-ranked France, No. 23 Colombia and No. 28 New Zealand.
She celebrated her return to action with a pair of goals in a losing cause March 16 as Portland lost 5-4 to Kansas City in their NWSL regular-season opener.
Priestman said both veterans will see action, although Scott’s minutes could be limited due to her recent inactivity.
The hope is Priestman’s injured players might be available for the May 25-June 1 window, the penultimate international break before the Olympics. Priestman wants to play two games then, with another two in Europe in the July 8-16 window that precedes the July 25 kickoff of the Olympic women’s football tournament.
The Canada coach has decisions to make before her team opens defence of its Olympic crown in a group with No. 3 France, No. 23 Colombia and No. 28 New Zealand.
The deadline for naming the 18-player Olympic roster plus four alternates is July 3. The alternates, one of whom will be a goalkeeper, can only be used in case of injury, and once replaced, a player cannot return.
Priestman expects to name her squad by the end of June.
Different test from Gold Cup
Canada most recently made it to the semifinals of the W Gold Cup, beating No. 97 El Salvador, No. 50 Paraguay and No. 44 Costa Rica (twice) losing 3-1 to the U.S. on March 6 in a penalty shootout after extra time finished knotted at 2-2.
“We had a lot of the ball for a lot of the game [at the Gold Cup]. This is going to ask some different questions,” said Priestman,
Canada has an 11-11-9 all-time record against Brazil. The teams last met in a pair of friendlies in October with Brazil winning 1-0 in Montreal and Canada winning 2-0 in Halifax.
The Canadians finished fourth at 1-2-0 in 2023, during the height of labour unrest with Canada Soccer, and third in 2021, also at 1-2-0.
Last year’s tournament was an “absolute blur,” said Priestman.
“The group feels focused 1712351047. They’re on a journey, they’re committed,” said Priestman. “We’ve used the words all-in and that’s what I hope to see — a continuation of what I’ve seen and felt post-World Cup but also Gold Cup, how can we build on what we put out there.”
“Totally, totally different. I can focus on football, which is really good,” she added.
While the labour impasse remains, there is hope of a resolution with Canada Soccer under new management.