CANWNT PREVIEW 🇨🇦: What to expect vs. Switzerland 🇨🇭 & Netherlands 🇳🇱 | OneSoccer Direct ⤴️

The stage is set for the Canadian women’s national team’s first challenge of their October window as head coach Casey Stoney and her players kickoff at Swissporarena in Lucerne against Switzerland on Friday. They’ll then travel to Nijmegen for a second friendly against a formidable Netherlands side.

Canada, of course, has done splendidly against the Swiss dating back to 2010. They’ve earned four wins and one loss through five encounters and although not at the height of their powers, with a key absence in the form of defender Vanessa Gilles, Stoney’s squad will step onto the pitch in Lucerne as the favourites. But it’s been some time since their last contest versus the Swiss, dating all the way back to the FIFA Women’s World Cup at BC Place in 2015. The fact that Switzerland had a strong showing at this summer’s Euros, led by head coach Pia Sundhage, is not lost on Stoney as Canada looks to use this window as a barometer following a period of change within the program.

“I think they’re very hard working, they’re very organized, they will obviously counter-attack quickly. They could play in a 5-3-2, they could play in a 4-2-4 so we’ve got to prepare for both and it’s going to be a very competitive game,” Stoney told reporters.

“We know we’re in a little bit of a transition period in terms of change. New style, new players coming in, young players coming in, old players retiring and big names not in the squad anymore. We haven’t got Christine Sinclair goals to rely on anymore. We’ve got to create more chances and score more goals by the way we play.

“The message has been clear: the level needs to go up, the consistency of the decision making and execution needs to go up and I’ve seen a really positive response so far.”

Casey made some interesting additions to the 24-player roster that’ll play over this window. Northern Super League star Kaylee Hunter, 17, earned her first senior call up alongside Florianne Jourde and Emily Burns, both of whom play for French clubs, but revealed the AFC Toronto attacker would miss Friday’s match with a knock.

Although Gilles won’t be available, as noted previously, other important players like Olivia Smith, Evelyne Viens, Adriana Leon and Jesse Fleming are set for their first international action since Canada fell 3-0 to the United States in July. Sydney Collins also makes her return to CanWNT following a nearly two-year absence following injury. She’s earned almost a half-dozen caps before but a strong return to club football with Bay FC helped her get the nod back into the squad for the first time since 2023.

Casey stressed the challenges of the international calendar given her side hadn’t been together in months.

“Obviously, the Swiss have probably played a lot closer to this window than we have, having played in the Euros. We haven’t played since the beginning of July, you know, and you think about it, that’s a long time, nearly four months apart, especially after such a loss,” she explained.

“It means we have to be really smart with how we use our time, we have to be very clear in terms of where we want to play and our principles.”

It remains to be seen how Canada will line up but Casey added this window is an opportunity to blend younger players into the squad and get them familiar as they build towards future tournaments. In many ways, it’s part of a new phase for a program that has won silverware but is looking to climb its way back to the top.

Casey’s expectations are crystal clear.

“Improved performance, mentality,” she said. “The way we play with the ball and without the ball will tell us whether we’ve improved from the summer . . . I said to the team this week it’s about turning the page.”

The match versus Switzerland kicks off in Lucerne at 1:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. PT. Both matches are available live on OneSoccer.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Canada wins: 4 | Switzerland wins: 1 | Draws: 0

Last meeting: June 21, 2015 – Canada 1-0 Switzerland