Canada's new-look roster coming together for Rio Olympics

TORONTO – Captain Christine Sinclair and fellow veterans Melissa Tancredi, Diana Matheson, and Rhian Wilkinson will once again lead Canada into a major international tournament. They will be joined at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August by a number of players who were not at the 2012 Games, or even at last year’s World Cup.

The roster that will face Brazil in exhibitions on June 4 in Toronto and June 7 in Ottawa is the same as the one that coach John Herdman fielded for a friendly in the Netherlands last month, with the addition of goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.

It’s a 20-player group that does not include Kaylyn Kyle, Lauren Sesselmann, Carmelina Moscato, Jonelle Filigno, and Adriana Leon from the World Cup team, while a torn ACL will keep goalkeeper Erin McLeod from participating in the Olympics. Stephanie Labbe is stepping in as the starter in goal. Sinclair, Tancredi, Matheson, Wilkinson, Sophie Schmidt, and Desiree Scott are the six holdovers from the team that took bronze in 2012 in London.

There are 11 players 23 or younger on the current squad and three teenagers in Jessie Fleming (18), Deanne Rose (17), and Gabrielle Carle (17), though Herdman will have to trim the roster down to 18 for Rio. The hope is that an infusion of youth will help Canada get back on the podium this summer.

CANADA’S ROSTER:

Goalkeepers: Stephanie Labbe, Sabrina D'Angelo, Kailen Sheridan.

Defenders: Kadeisha Buchanan, Rebecca Quinn, Shelina Zadorsky, Josee Belanger, Allysha Chapman, Rhian Wilkinson.

Midfielders: Jessie Fleming, Ashley Lawrence, Diana Matheson, Deanne Rose, Sophie Schmidt, Desiree Scott.

Forwards: Janine Beckie, Gabrielle Carle, Nichelle Prince, Christine Sinclair (C), Melissa Tancredi.

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Israel Fehr is a writer for Yahoo Canada Sports. Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr