Canada’s Women’s National Team Head Coach John Herdman has named his 20-player squad that will be Canada’s entry at the 2013 Torneio Internacional Cidade de Sao Paolo, held in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia. Chicago Red Stars and Canada’s starting goalkeeper Erin McLeod, as well as Red Stars midfielder Adriana Leon were selected to the group.

The squad marks the return of defender Kadeisha Buchanan, who’s been a revelation for Canada this year but who has been otherwise unavailable the last few months due to commitments as a member of the West Virginia University Mountaineers.

It will also be a first camp with the senior national team for midfielder Jessie Fleming. Fleming most recently captained Canada in their runners-up performance at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship where Canada managed to qualify for next year’s FIFA Women’s Under-17 Championship set to take place in Costa Rica despite a loss in the finals on penalty kicks to Mexico.

“The mantra still is, if you’re good enough you’re old enough,” said Herdman of Fleming. “It’s for Jessie to see a new level and work with some of her heroes and give her a chance to see if she’s someone who can impact the squad.”

Canada kicks off the action in Brazil against Scotland on 11 December. They’ll follow that up four days later against Chile before closing the round robin portion of the competition against the hosts on 18 December. A final classification game will take place on 22 December, which will conclude the calendar year for Canada.

“This group that we’ve got gives you a picture of what you could have in 2015 in the opening round (of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™),” said Herdman. “So it’s a chance to rehearse certain processes and learning from the event.”

The four-country tournament is in its fifth year in 2013. Canada last participated in the 2010 edition of the tournament and came away as tournament champions.

CANADA
GK- Stephanie Labbé | SWE / KIF Örebro DFF
GK- Karina LeBlanc | USA / Portland Thorns FC
GK- Erin McLeod | USA / Chicago Red Stars
D- Kadeisha Buchanan | USA / West Virginia University
D- Robyn Gayle | USA / Washington Spirit
D- Carmelina Moscato | USA / Seattle Reign FC
D- Marie-Eve Nault | SWE / KIF Örebro DFF
D- Lauren Sesselmann | USA / FC Kansas City
D- Rhian Wilkinson | USA / Boston Breakers
D- Sura Yekka | CAN / Brams United
D- Emily Zurrer | USA / Seattle Reign FC
M- Selenia Iacchelli | CAN / Edmonton Victoria SC
M- Jessie Fleming | CAN / Norwest Soccer Club
M- Kaylyn Kyle | USA / Boston Breakers
M- Diana Matheson | USA / Washington Spirit
M- Sophie Schmidt | USA / Sky Blue FC
M- Desiree Scott | USA / FC Kansas City
M- Brittany Baxter (née Timko) | unattached
F- Adriana Leon | USA / Chicago Red Stars
F- Christine Sinclair | USA / Portland Thorns FC