Canada vs. Mexico
International Friendly
June 4, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT
BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario
Watch Live: OneSoccer

The Canadian women’s national team will host Mexico at BMO Field on Tuesday night, in the second match of their Summer Send-Off Series.

The final game on home soil before jetting to France for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, this match is a chance for fans to cheer them on before they look to defend their gold medal from three years ago. Like Saturday’s 2-0 win over the Mexicans was, it is also a final audition for the Canadian players to prove to Bev Priestman and her coaching staff that they should be on the plane to represent Team Canada on the world stage.

Some players took advantage of that chance on Saturday, including Evelyne Viens, who provided assists on both Canada goals after coming off the bench at halftime, likely booking herself a ticket to Paris this summer. The players that started at the back for Canada — defenders Vanessa Gilles, Kadeisha Buchanan, and Jade Rose and goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan — are almost certainly locks to get a spot on the team, and they proved why as well, keeping a clean sheet and dominating the visitors physically.

RELATED: CanWNT score twice in second half to defeat Mexico in Montreal // 5 CanWNT players that need to have a big June window

Canada are expected to be without attackers Deanne Rose and Nichelle Prince for Tuesday’s match. Prince didn’t train on Monday for precautionary reasons, and Rose trained separately from the rest of the team. Both have dealt with long-term injuries over the past couple of years, and missing both matches in this camp is worrying — and potentially detrimental for their chances in making the team this summer.

It also doesn’t help Canada’s stated goal of trying to score more goals in matches and turning the screw when they do take the lead in matches. Les Rouges were much better in the second half of Saturday’s match on the attacking front, scoring both of their goals after the break following a handful of substitutions from Priestman just after halftime.

With just over 50 days until Canada kick off their tournament at the Olympic Games, this match will be a celebration off the pitch, and the team and fans alike hope to see a lot of celebrating on the pitch as well.

3 THINGS TO WATCH

• Canada pride themselves on their defensive efforts: Canada were defensively solid last time out against Mexico, keeping a clean sheet after a tenacious defensive effort. Bev Priestman said on Monday that defending is something the team prides themselves on, and that the team celebrates a clean sheet just as much as scoring goals. She used the “celebrates as much as scoring goals” line after Saturday’s match as well to describe Vanessa Gilles, who put in an outstanding performance and is becoming as locked in a starter as anyone else on the team. If they can continue to play with that intensity every time they step onto the field, they could find success on Tuesday, and once again at the Olympics this summer. One area where Canada can improve defensively is pressing higher up the pitch, something that they weren’t doing for stages of Saturday’s match, and it nearly cost them on a couple of occasions.
• Can Mexico adjust to Canadian physicality?: Mexico head coach Pedro López said after Saturday’s match in Montreal that he believed his side was tactically set up correctly to be able to beat Canada, but that his side struggled at times with the physicality of the Canadian players. “We lost two, three duels in the midfield and we need to adjust our plan for the physical difference between the Canadian players and the Mexican players, but I think we know perfectly how to win [against] Canada,” López said. From those comments, it is to be expected that Mexico will come out more aggressive on Tuesday night, and that is something Canada will need to be prepared for as they look to end the Summer Send-Off Series on a high note and prepare for the physicality they can expect at the Olympics.
• Will Canada change it up in goal?: Canadian goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan made her 50th international appearance on Saturday, and has been the undisputed starter for Canada since Stephanie Labbé retired after the last Olympics. She will be the starter in Paris this summer as well barring any unforeseen circumstances, and Bev Priestman knows what she will get from her. It is for that reason that it makes sense to potentially give the start in this match to either Sabrina D’Angelo or Lysianne Proulx — the other goalkeepers in the squad. D’Angelo seems like the logical choice, with it being likely that she will be the backup for the Olympics and Proulx one of Canada’s alternates. Priestman could also opt to stick with Sheridan and try to play close to her best eleven in one of her last opportunities to do so, but this window is supposed to have an element of experimentation, and this seems to be as good a time as any to give Sheridan a night off.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Canada wins: 23 || Mexico wins: 2 || Draws: 3

Last meeting:

June 1, 2024 – Canada 2-0 Mexico