Canada vs. China at Pinatar Cup: What you need to know

The Canadian women's team begins life under new coach Casey Stoney this week when it opens up its 2025 campaign at the Pinatar Cup.

Canada's involvement in the tournament marks its first games under Stoney since she was hired on Jan. 12.

"You don't try and change too much too soon. I think it takes a lot of time to embed the information, and we've got the luxury of having a year this year with no competitive games. We're going to take that year to try and change certain things and tweak certain things," Stoney said this week.

Here’s what you need to know about Wednesday's match between Canada and China at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia, Spain (1:00 p.m. ET/OneSoccer). 

A new era begins under Casey Stoney

Before last month, the Canadian women's team had been operating without a full-time coach ever since last summer's Paris Olympics. Former bench boss Bev Priestman's involvement in the drone spying scandal sent the program into a state of disarray with a number of different coaches taking charge of the team on an interim basis.

Finally, Canada Soccer hired Casey Stoney, 42, as the team's new permanent coach. It's a move that allowed the Canadian team to completely move on from the spying scandal, and to use the Pinatar Cup as the beginning of its preparation for the 2027 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

"We've had some players only arrive this evening. We haven't had the whole squad for one day's training, really," Stoney told reporters on Tuesday.

"So, it's been a challenge, in that sense, but we've worked smart in terms of getting the information to the players. My message is about turning the page, moving forward, being open minded to the new ideas that we're going to bring to the team, and about focusing from this day onwards and what it takes to prepare to win a World Cup."

This Pinatar Cup is also a new beginning for Stoney, who has spent the majority of her coaching career at club level. Aside from a spell on Phil Neville’s staff with England, the former defender has earned her coaching reputation based on excellent results achieved while in charge of Manchester United and the San Diego Wave.

"It's a big step. I feel like a step I was ready for," Stoney admitted.

She added: "This is a big move in terms of the responsibility and the privilege to be a head coach of a national team. This national team has got so much pride, so much humility, and it's achieved so much. I'm here to try and take the team forward. I take the responsibility very seriously."

What is the Pinatar Cup?

The Pinatar Cup is a four-nation, invitational tournament that takes place every year in Spain.

This year's competition involves Canada (ranked No. 6), China (No. 17), Mexico (No. 31) and Chinese Taipei (No. 42). It's a round-robin tournament where everybody plays each other once. The nation with the most points at the end of the round robin wins the Pinatar Cup. All games will be played at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia, Spain.

The Pinatar Cup was first held five years ago and was previously won by Scotland (2020), Belgium (2022), Iceland (2023) and Finland (2024). 

This is Canada's first time competing in the tournament.

AFC Toronto’s Emma Regan named to Casey Stoney’s 1st Canada roster

Regan is one of the first Northern Super League players to earn a call-up to the Canadian women’s team.

TFC REPUBLICJohn Molinaro

NSL talent on Stoney's 1st Canadian roster

AFC Toronto defender Emma Regan and Vancouver Rise midfielder Samantha Chang have been named to Casey Stoney's roster for this tournament. In doing so, they became the first players from the Northern Super League to earn call-ups to the Canadian women's team.

The inaugural 2025 NSL season kicks off on April 16, and while all six clubs are in training camp, their players are still working their way into full match fitness. With this in mind, it'll be interesting to see how much playing time, if any, that Regan and Chang will get in Spain, or if Stoney will just use this international window to assess them on the training pitch and see how they fit in with the rest of the group.

Regan has four caps for Canada, including her last appearance in a friendly against South Korea in December that took place nine days before she inked her deal with Toronto. 

"I think AFC Toronto is going to help me with my national team journey," Regan told TFC Republic. 

Familiar names, new faces in camp for Canada

The most recognizable names on Casey Stoney's first Canadian roster include captain Jessie Fleming, goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, defenders Vanessa Gilles and Ashley Lawrence, midfielder Julia Grosso, and forwards Janine Sonis (formerly Janine Beckie) and Adriana Leon.  

Forward Jordyn Huitema returns after missing December's international window for personal reasons.  

There are also two newcomers: 19-year-old defender Ella Ottey and midfielder Carly Wickenheiser (who replaces the injured Bianca St-Georges).  

Notable players who aren't in Spain due to injuries include defenders Kadeisha Buchanan and Sydney Collins, midfielder Quinn, and forwards Cloé Lacasse and Deanne Rose. Centre back Jade Rose from Harvard University is continuing her rehabilitation from an injury. Although she's been named to the squad, she won't see any playing time during this window.   

"Having a squad of 26 [players] allows us a lot of rotation, and we will use that. We will make changes for each game. I think it's really important we don't overload the players that are in pre-season. But equally, I don't want to overload the players in Europe, either. ... So, we're going to try and manage that load, supported by the performance staff here the best we can," Stoney said. 

A quick look at China

While still a top side, China is no longer among the elite nations in the women's game.  

The Chinese were semi-finalists and runners-up in two of the first three FIFA Women's World Cups in 1995 and 1999, but they haven't been able to get back to the final four in their subsequent five appearances. In the 2023 World Cup, China bowed out in the group stage in its worst-ever showing. 

On the Olympic front, a silver medal was won in Atlanta in 1996, but China had failed to reach the medal podium in their next five appearances, and it didn't even qualify for last summer's competition in Paris. The Chinese have won the Asian Championship a record nine times, including the 2022 event in India.  

China has won two of the five games (with one draw) it has played since former Australia international Ante Milicic was hired as coach last May. It's coming off a 4-1 road loss to the Netherlands in November. 

Among the more notable players on the Chinese squad is Li Mengwen, a fullback with West Ham United who is currently on loan with Brighton & Hove Albion. The majority of players in Milicic's squad play in the Chinese Women's Super League. 

"We've analyzed quite a few of their previous games. We know that they like to be defensively compact [and] organized, but we know there's spaces we can definitely exploit against them. They will play short and sharp if we allow them to. They'll also play slightly direct if we press them so they've got goal threats. They'll target us from crosses, for sure. So, we're going to need to defend the back post really well," Casey Stoney said. 

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What happened last time between Canada and China

Canada and China last faced off in an international friendly on July 16, 2016 at Stade Sebastien Charléty in Paris right before that summer's Rio Olympics.  

The Canadians earned a 1-0 win courtesy of Jessie Fleming's goal in the sixth minute. Fleming, 18 at the time, bagged her third goal for Canada by collecting the ball at the top of the 18-yard box, slipping between two defenders and then finding the top corner of the net with her shot.  

China poured on the pressure in the second half as it looked to score the equalizer. But solid goalkeeping from Stephanie Labbé and a steady defence anchored by centre backs Kadeisha Buchanan and Shelina Zadorsky ensured a clean sheet for Canada. 

“The first half had some great passes and some really great interchanges,” former coach John Herdman said after the win.  

Overall, Canada has a losing record of eight wins, five draws and 14 losses against China, but it has won the last seven in a row against the Asian powerhouse. 

What's next for Canada 

Canada faces Mexico on Saturday (1:00 p.m. ET/OneSoccer) and wraps up play at the Pinatar Cup next Tuesday when it faces Chinese Taipei (1:00 p.m. ET/OneSoccer).

(Top photo courtesy of Canada Soccer)

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