ASS News » full attention to the Canadian womens senior

TORONTO -- Former star striker Kara Lang played at the Under-20 Womens World Cup on two occasions before devoting her full attention to the Canadian womens senior team. She still remembers the massive roar of the home crowd when the Canadians walked out on the pitch before 47,784 fans at Commonwealth Stadium in 2002. Lang expects a similar reception for the Canadian team as the host nation at this years tournament, which begins Tuesday. "Nothing can compare to that -- the level of intensity, the crowd support that you get," Lang said in a recent interview. "I was 15 at the time, the rest of the team was 16, 17, 18-year-olds and to be playing in front of crowds of 50,000 people cheering for you, its unlike anything else. "Thats what this team is going to experience as well." Langs appearance at the inaugural tournament in Edmonton -- at that time it was a U-19 event -- came shortly after she made her debut with the senior team. There are several Canadian players who will be in a similar position for the 2014 tournament, which will be played Aug. 5-24 in Edmonton, Moncton, Montreal and Toronto. Midfielder Jessie Fleming has suited up for the senior team before and also played at the U-17 competition. "Its perfect because weve experienced a big tournament and we know what its like dealing with not a lot of recovery time and intense matches," she said. "I think that will help." Canada held a camp in mid-July in Mexico and will open the tournament Tuesday at BMO Field with a Group A game against Ghana. Canada will play Finland on Friday in Toronto before heading to Montreal for an Aug. 12 game against North Korea. Centre backs Kadeisha Buchanan and Rebecca Quinn, fullback Sura Yekka, midfielder Ashley Lawrence and forward Nichelle Prince are the other Canadian players with senior team experience. Defender Kinley McNicoll will serve as captain and Kailen Sheridan is the No. 1 goalie. Canada went 1-2-0 at the 2012 tournament and failed to advance out of the group stage. Andrew Olivieri is back as coach and senior team coach John Herdman is serving as high-performance director. The Canadian program has an eye on the big picture for all youth competitions and this one is no different. Olivieri wants his players to move closer to taking that next step to the senior team and hopefully achieve success along the way. "Six games at the international level is the most we can get out of this tournament," Olivieri said. "So thats going to take winning a quarter-final and thats going to remain our objective: is win a quarter-final, get into a semi and whether its a semi, a final, a third-place game, thats just what the system needs right now." Group B includes the U.S., Germany, China and Brazil. Group C is made up of England, Mexico, Nigeria and South Korea while Group D consists of Costa Rica, France, New Zealand and Paraguay. Germany and the defending champion Americans have combined to win five of the six previous U-20 tournaments while North Korea won in 2006. All three teams are expected to be strong again this year. The top two teams from each pool advance to the quarter-finals, which will be shared by the four host cities. Moncton and Montreal will host the semifinals and Montreal will stage the final and third-place match. The tournament comes a year before Canada hosts the 2015 Womens World Cup. "For a lot of these players, its kind of a warmup for them because a number of them will be playing in 2015 next summer with the full womens team," Lang said. "Next summer wont be such a shock to them if theyve gone through something like this. "It can be a bit of a shock when you walk out onto the field ... as the tournament grows, the support grows. By the time we walked out to crowds of 10 and 20,000 people (in 2002), we were floored and then it just grew as the tournament went on. In a number of ways its great preparation." Olivieri said his squad will be the youngest U-20 team Canada has ever fielded in the tournament. "Well be talented but we will be young," he said. "Its hard to tell how well stack up against other teams." Buchanan, one of the anchors of the Canadian defence, isnt lacking for confidence. "Our team is capable of dominating the opposition," she said. "Playing in their half and just getting (shots) on net." Fleming echoed those thoughts. "I think were capable of going all the way," she said. "I think its going to be tough. Its going to be tough for any team to win the tournament. We just have to take it game by game." Lang said there are always a few surprise results because it can be challenging to track the development of other national youth programs. She expects Olivieri and Herdman will have the players ready and prepared. "They have really implemented a system and a philosophy of mental toughness," she said. "It really is just based on individual players knowing their roles and focusing on that." Langs other U-20 appearance came in Thailand in 2004. She played in two World Cups -- in 2003 and 2007 -- as well as the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Her eyes still light up when she talks about that magical ride to the final in 2002. "Playing in an international tournament at home in front of Canadian fans -- you cant beat it," she said. Ozzie Newsome Youth Jersey . The last team in the NBA that will have any sympathy for the Thunder is the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are showing signs of putting everything together after two years of devastating injuries. Sheldrick Redwine Youth Jersey . - Carter Verhaeghe scored the winner with 41 seconds to go as the Niagara IceDogs edged the North Bay Battalion 3-2 to even their first-round series at a game apiece in Ontario Hockey League playoff action on Sunday. http://www.footballbrownsnflprostore.com/Youth-Greedy-Williams-Elite-Jersey/ . UEFA said Wednesday that the champions of England and France only have to include five home-trained players in their 21-man squads next season instead of the expected eight. Only one of the five players needs to be trained by the club itself. Jim Brown Youth Jersey . -- Miami Dolphins defensive co-ordinator Kevin Coyle defended the management style of coach Joe Philbin in the wake of the teams bullying scandal. Odell Beckham Jr Womens Jersey . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday. PHILADELPHIA -- Drew Hutchison showed a veterans poise after blowing a big lead. Juan Franciscos sacrifice fly in the 10th inning lifted the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night. Cody Asche hit a game-tying grand slam off Hutchison in the sixth to help the Phillies rally from a 5-0 deficit, but they were swept in a two-game portion of a four-game, home-and-home interleague series. The teams meet Wednesday night in Toronto. Hutchison took a five-run lead into the sixth, but couldnt hold it. He stayed in the game after the slam, however, and retired the last seven batters he faced. "Its really good to know he trusts me enough to go back out there," Hutchison said. Hutchison allowed five runs and nine hits in eight innings in his seventh start since Tommy John surgery forced him to miss the 2013 season. Hutchison also got his first two career hits, both singles to left. Jays manager John Gibbons was impressed with the way Hutchison pitched after giving up five runs. "He showed us what hes all about," Gibbons said. "Thats how you find out about a guy. He had two dominant innings." Edwin Encarnacion and Colby Rasmus went deep for the Blue Jays. Marcus Stroman (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings for his first career win. Aaron Loup got the final two outs for his second save. "Its an exciting feeling," said Stroman, who pitched in front of some friends and family. "It was a lot of fun out there." Cole Hamels, stuck on 99 career wins, allowed five runs and 10 hits in six innings. "He was not real sharp," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He fell behind and they didnt miss his fastballs." Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista hit consecutive singles off Antonio Bastardo (3-2) to start the 10th. After Encarnacion popped out to second, Franciscos shallow fly to centre scored Cabrera well ahead of Ben Reveress weak, off-line throw.dddddddddddd. Carlos Ruiz started the Phillies rally in the sixth with a double and Chase Utley singled. Ryan Howard followed with an RBI single to cut it to 5-1. But Hutchison got the next two outs before pinch-hitter John Mayberry Jr. walked to load the bases. Asche then ripped a shot to the seats in right for his first career slam, tying it at 5. "The biggest mistake was the walk," Hutchison said. "Its something I cant do again. A home run can happen, but a walk is in your control." Asche finished 4 for 4. Encarnacion drove one deep into the seats in left leading off the second to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead. Jose Bautista led off the fourth with a double to left, advanced to third on Encarnacions single through a shift and scored on Franciscos grounder for a 2-0 lead. Rasmus hit a two-run shot out to right-centre to make it 4-0 in the fourth. Steve Tollesons RBI double in the sixth put the Blue Jays up 5-0. Hamels hasnt looked too sharp in three starts after beginning the season on the disabled list because of biceps tendinitis. The three-time All-Star lefty was supposed to start Sunday but the flu pushed him back two days. NOTES: Hutchison became the third pitcher in Blue Jays history to have two hits in a game. David Cone did it in the 1992 World Series against Atlanta. Roy Halladay did it in 2007. ... The four hits and four RBIs for Asche are career highs. ... Bautista has reached safely in 33 straight games, the longest streak in the majors since Joey Vottos 33-game streak in 2011. ... Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins wasnt in the starting lineup for the second straight game because of a strained groin. He grounded out as a pinch-hitter. ... Cliff Lee (3-2, 3.00) opposes Mark Buehrle (5-1, 2.25) in a matchup of left-handed aces when the series shifts to Toronto on Wednesday night. The Phillies will play the 20,000th game in team history on Thursday. ' ' '