Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Group B - Canada v Australia - Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia - July 31, 2023 Canada's Ashley Lawrence looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
(Reuters) - The Canadian women's soccer team will play two matches against CONCACAF rivals Mexico on home soil in June before turning their focus to the Paris Olympics where they will look to successfully defend their gold medal.
Billed as the "Summer Send-Off Series", Canada Soccer said on Tuesday the two games will be played June 1 in Montreal and June 4 in Toronto.
"The tremendous love and support for this team was felt coast to coast and this window will be a great opportunity to send this team off in style to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games," Canada head coach Bev Priestman said in a news release.
"Mexico has shown recently they are a difficult team to face, which is exactly what we need before finalizing our Olympic roster."
At the Paris Olympics, Canada will face France, Colombia, and New Zealand during the group stage of the 12-team women's tournament that starts July 25.
At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Canada earned their first gold medal in women's soccer by beating Sweden 3-2 on penalties after the final ended 1-1 following regular and extra time.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)
