Houston Dash defender Allysha Chapman, midfielder Sophie Schmidt and forward Nichelle Prince were called in to the Canadian Women’s National Team for the Tournoi de France, Canada Soccer announced today.
Canada will be part of the inauguralTournoi de France and is set to playthree games in Stade de l’Epopee, Calais. Most recently, Canada claimeda spot in the 2020 Olympics after scoring 23 goals in four games at the Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Canada earned second place of the tournament after falling to the U.S. Women’s National Team, 3-0.
Up first, Canada will face France at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4 before taking onNetherlands three days later at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Match 7. The last match is set to kick off at 7 p.m. when Canada takes on Brazil on Tuesday, March 10.
Chapman has represented Canada in two FIFA Women’s World Cups, playing every minute in five games during the CanWNTrun in 2015 and appearing in all four games of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. A key part of Houston’s back line, the defender started in each of her 14 appearances for the club last season.
Schmidt, who earned 18 appearances and tallied one assist with the Dash in 2019, has been part of Canada’s national team since 2005 and made her fourth World Cup appearance last summer in France. The midfielder is four appearances shy from earning her 200th cap for Canada, having scored a total of 19 goals. The midfielder was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame last fall on October 23.
Prince scored the opening goal of the 2019 season for the Dash against Reign FC in April before joining Schmidt and Chapman in France for the World Cup. Prince lifted Canada over New Zealand with her first World Cup goal on June 15, helping Canada qualify for the knockout round.
The Olympic Qualifying Tournament marked her return to the national team after working her way back to fitnessfrom a season-ending injury during the World Cup. Prince will also be back as one of Houston’s key attacking pieces for the 2020 NWSL season.
The Dash will open their 2020 season on Saturday, April 25 when they host the defending NWSL Champion North Carolina Courage for the season home opener. The remainder of the Dash schedule was announced earlier today, and tickets for the 2020 season will go on sale Tuesday, March 17.
