The Canada Women's National Soccer Team will wrap up the 2024 season with a pair of international friendlies in Murcia, Spain. Those matches will be massively important for some big-picture planning as the team gets set for new challenges on the global stage.
Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).
The team will face Iceland on November 29 and South Korea on December 3, respectively, at the sunny Pinatar Arena under the command of an interim coaching staff. These matches shall serve to test the squad and help solidify the tactical cohesion necessary for continued international cycles.
Growth and Renewal Cycle
Wrapping up 2024 with matchups against a strong Iceland and South Korea shows that CANWNT is committed to long-term planning. Daniel Michelucci, Canada Soccer Director of Operations, underlined how those games would represent an invaluable opportunity for the team to test themselves, build greater cohesion, and lay the foundation for ongoing success on the world stage.
In this light, this approach surely shows that Canada is thinking of bigger goals: they want to position themselves as regional powers but also as contenders in the big league, in particular considering bigger international tournaments that are going to take place. Iceland: A Balanced Challenge
Iceland sits 13th in the current FIFA standings and presents a familiar but difficult opponent. The two teams have tied 1-0 for CANWNT in 2016 and played to a scoreless draw at the Algarve Cup in 2019. As usual, Iceland is stingy in defense, generally playing a disciplined tactical game that promises a match where every inch of space will have to be hard-earned.
For Canada, though, this will be a testing of their attacking capabilities against a tight defense. Over and above the win, the game will hold a critical lesson in the battle against teams who rely on well-planned and reactive play.
South Korea: An Unrelenting Foe
Four days later, CANWNT faces 19th-ranked South Korea. Unlike Iceland, South Korea has traditionally been a more technical, fluid style of soccer, which could equate to a somewhat frenetic pace. Canada is traditionally a strong 7-0-2 in nine games against them, but last year's scoreless tie in Toronto showed the South Koreans can be stubborn.
Canada beat South Korea last time out, in commanding fashion, a 3-0 win in the Algarve Cup final back in 2018. The context is very different, with CANWNT needing to demonstrate their growth to break through a set-up, from South Korea, that gave them fits in 2022.
Comparative Preparation and Scheduling Issues
These friendlies are timely. For the ones based in North America, this is the last opportunity to come together in advance of the 2025 preseason start. For the European-based contingent, it's that critical period when one needs to take a breather and reset for a return to club action. The juxtaposed timings ensure the coaching staff get the team's physical and mental alignment in sync with the mix.
That means the lack of a permanent head coach might prove to be a problem, but it is also an opportunity. With an interim coaching staff, the games are allowing emerging talent to show off their skill, a way for the team to try out strategies on a bigger stage-without huge pressure.
For the CANWNT, these are not mere calendar fillers. Reinforcing identity, exploring new tactics, and building towards future competitions are opportunities available with these matches. The matches also give an avenue to address key areas of improvement, more so in play creation and finishing.
Renewal remains the keyword, with an effort to blend in more younger talent. With the likes of the captain Christine Sinclair, who has seasoned experience, these games will provide a good mix of veteran presence into the fresh lot of energy.
Expectation from the Matches
Against Iceland, Canada would find a closely fought match where patience and precision play is key, while the match against South Korea promises to be highly active. Canada needs to make use of fast and quick transitions. Both the matches would give good insight into the preparedness of the team for the next steps.
These are not friendlies; they are the windows to CANWNT's future. As 2024 draws to a close, this team stands up to the future, showing just how it has adapted, evolved, and shifted its gaze toward new opportunity on the world stage.