Canada’s bid for back-to-back Olympic gold medals in women’s soccer has become more focused now that the final roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics is set. Canadian Olympics watchers will keep close tabs at Ontario sports betting apps.
Team Canada has announced its women’s soccer roster for the Paris Olympics. The Canadian soccer team consists of many players from the team that won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. But a spying scandal has endangered Canada's chances to advance to the quarterfinals of the 12-team tournament.
Athlete | Position | Hometown |
Sabrina D’Angelo | Goalkeeper | Welland, Ont. |
Kailen Sheridan | Goalkeeper | Whitby, Ont. |
Kadeisha Buchanan | Defender | Brampton, Ont. |
Sydney Collins | Defender | Beaverton, Oregon, USA |
Vanessa Gilles | Defender | Ottawa, Ont. |
Ashley Lawrence | Defender | Caledon East, Ont. |
Jayde Riviere | Defender | Markham, Ont. |
Jade Rose | Defender | Markham, Ont. |
Simi Awujo | Midfielder | Atlanta, Georgia, USA |
Jessie Fleming (Capitan) | Midfielder | London, Ont. |
Julia Grosso | Midfielder | Vancouver, B.C. |
Quinn | Midfielder | Toronto, Ont. |
Janine Beckie | Forward | Highlands Ranch, Colorado, USA |
Jordyn Huitema | Forward | Chilliwack, B.C. |
Cloé Lacasse | Forward | Sudbury, Ont. |
Adriana Leon | Forward | King City, Ont. |
Nichelle Prince | Forward | Ajax, Ont. |
Evelyne Viens | Forward | L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que. |
Of the 18 players on the roster, released on the Canadasoccer.com website, 13 played on the squad that won Canada’s first Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer at the 2020 Tokyo Games (which were held in 2021 after a year-long delay related to COVID-19).
That includes team captain Jessie Fleming, a midfielder with the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League. Fleming is also one of six players on the Canadian soccer roster who were part of the team that earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The others making their third Olympic appearance are defenders Kadeisha Buchanan, Ashley Lawrence, midfielder Quinn and forwards Nichelle Prince and Janine Beckie.
In May, OntarioBets.com provided exclusive odds – not available at Ontario sportsbooks – on who would make Team Canada. Midfielder Evelyne Viens and forward Simi Awujo both had +350 odds at that time to make the team in Paris.
The team also includes four alternates, who are with the squad in case of injuries.
Athlete | Position | Hometown |
Gabrielle Carle | Defender/Midfielder | Levis, Que. |
Lysianne Proulx | Goalkeeper | Boucherville, Que. |
Shelina Zadorsky | Defender | London, Ont. |
Deanne Rose | Forward | Alliston, Ont. |
Though Team Canada enters the 2024 Summer Games as the defending Olympic champion, the nation faced long odds to repeat before the tournament, at least according to the bookmakers. NorthStar Bets Ontario Sportsbook had Canada at +2000 odds to win the women’s soccer competition, eighth on the odds board. Team USA was the slight favorite at +200, followed by reigning women’s World Cup champion Spain (+250), just before the Games started.
But controversy hit Team Canada just as the Games were getting underway. Two assistant coaches were caught spying on a New Zealand practice before the teams met in Wednesday's Olympic opener. Head coach Bev Priestman was banned for a year and sent home -- and worse, world soccer governing body FIFA docked the the Canadians six points during group play. Canada won its first two games, which would ordinarily be worth six points. Instead, Canada sits at zero going into the final Group A game against Colombia on July 31.
After all that, Canada now has +3000 odds at DraftKings Ontario Sportsbook to win the tournament.
Canada has earned medals in the past three Olympics. In addition to gold in Tokyo and bronze in Rio, Team Canada also earned bronze at the 2012 London Games.
Most team members have extensive professional experience at the club level, either in the NWSL or representing some of the top clubs in Europe. One interesting aspect of the roster is that four players are part of the Cascadia rivalry between the Portland Thorns and Seattle Reign, two on each side. Fleming and Beckie are teammates in Portland; Quinn and forward Jordyn Huitema both play for the Reign.
Check out our Canada Olympic medal tracker at OntarioBets.com to keep tabs on Canadian Olympic athletes in every sport now that the 2024 Paris Games are underway.
The original coach for the Canadian Olympic Women’s Soccer team was Bev Priestman. After a scandal involving the use of drones to spy on New Zealand’s practice, the coach was removed from her position. As a result, Andy Spence is leading the team as Canada’s interim head coach for the remainder of the Summer Games.
Canada was drawn in Group A for the summer 2024 Olympics in Paris, on a mission to defend their Tokyo 2020 Olympic Gold medal. Team Canada took a six-point penalty in the group stage because of a drone spying scandal but they won their first two matches. Because of the penalty, they have zero points going into the group finale.
Team Canada has one game remaining in Group A: vs. Colombia on July 31.
Author
Jim Tomlin is an editor and writer specializing in sports, gambling and the intersection of those industries. He has 30+ years of journalism experience and his work has appeared in the Tampa Bay Times, FanRag, Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition.
Cited by leading media organizations, such as:
