Chilliwack’s Jordyn Huitema played wire-to-wire for the Canadian national women’s soccer squad in a road 2-1 win over Australia.
The back half of a two-game series was played at 2:30 p.m. PT Tuesday morning (Sept. 6) at Sydney Football Stadium.
Huitema was in the starting lineup at forward, and head coach Bev Priestman kept the 21-year-old in for the entire match. She didn’t factor into the scoring. Both Canadian goals were scored by Adriana Leon, one set up by Christine Sinclair and the other by Jade Rose.
But Huitema also got the start in the first game against Australia, played Sept. 3 at Brisbane Football Stadium, and she earned the assist on the game’s only goal, scored by Leon.
Huitema playing a prominent role in both games is a good sign as Canada gears up for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be held July 20 to Aug. 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
“No spots are given and going into a FIFA World Cup I think that’s a healthy place to be, everyone is going to give you more,“ Priestman said in a Canada Soccer news release. “More than anything I’ve come away with a new shape and new players in that shape. Being able to change and to rotate players in different positions means freshness across the pitch which is an element we aim to achieve.”
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