Another Rose looks to blossom with Canadian women's soccer team in camp in Spain

Jade Rose's job for Canada is to prevent goals. Younger sister Nyah Rose is looking to score them.

While 26 appearances, including 25 starts, under her belt, 21-year-old Jade is already a veteran of the Canadian senior side. The Harvard senior is part of Canada's first-choice back three alongside veterans Vanessa Gilles and Kadeisha Buchanan, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury.

Just 19, Nyah is taking her first steps with the senior side after excelling as a youth international.

Nyah is in camp with the sixth-ranked Canadian women in Spain, preparing for friendlies Friday against No. 13 Iceland and next Tuesday against No. 19 South Korea, with both games at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia.

She is learning the ropes in the absence of Jade, who is sidelined with an ankle injury.

"It's been a great experience," Nyah said Tuesday after getting a taste of the step up from the youth level to the senior side in the team's first full training session in Spain.

"I think the biggest difference is the intensity, like ball speed during practice," she added. "And within the team environment, everyone kind of holds each other to the same high standard and level."

Nyah, a former centre back who grew up in Markham, Ont., has a nose for goal.

At the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia, Nyah scored in Canada's opening 23-2 draw with France on Aug. 31 and recorded seven shots on goal in a 9-0 romp over Fiji as Canada reached the round of 16 in the tournament for the first time since 2014, eventually losing 2-1 to Spain.

As a freshman last year at Dallas-based SMU (Southern Methodist University), she led the American Athletic Conference in goals with 11, was named conference Co-Rookie of the Year and earned All South Region first team, All-AAC first team, and All-Rookie team honours.

As a sophomore, Nyah missed five games early this season due to the U-20 World Cup. Upon her return, she scored five goals in 11 games to rank second on the team with the Mustangs facing stiffer competition after shifting to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

In September, Nyah scored in a 1-1 draw with defending NCAA champion Florida State. That came three days after a highlight-reel goal at Miami, with Nyah rising high to control a cross with her right foot before swivelling to volley the ball home before it hit the turf.

In camp with Canada, Nyah has been reunited with under-20 coach Cindy Tye, who is serving as Canada interim coach for the two friendlies.

Canada Soccer has said head coach Bev Priestman will not be returning in the wake of the recent independent report into the Olympic drone-spying scandal. Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi are currently serving one-year suspensions from FIFA, with Lombardi having already resigned his Canada Soccer position.

Nyah said her call-up came out of the blue. "I was not expecting it whatsoever," she said.

She was disappointed at first that Jade would not be in camp with her. But her sister told her it was a good thing, given she could find her own way with the team.

The sisters are close — and competitive, says Nyah.

"I felt like I kind of pushed myself a lot more when I went up against her just because I wanted to beat her, because she's my sister.

Mehkai, their 16-year-old brother, also plays soccer as a winger.

Earlier this year, Nyah was one of only three sophomores among the 44 players named to the 2024 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, The annual award goes to the top NCAA soccer player, with former Canada captain Christine Sinclair (2004 and '05) and Buchanan (2106) among the past winners.

Nyah, who is studying sports management at SMU, and her sister both hope to play professionally in Europe after college.

Jade and Nyah Rose are no relation to forward Deanne Rose, a Leicester City forward with 84 caps for Canada who is also in camp in Spain.

Tye has also brought North Carolina State University defender Janet Okeke, another under-20 player, into the senior camp for the first time. And there are second call-ups for 18-year-old midfielder Jeneva Hernandez Gray from the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls elite team and 28-year-old defender Megan Reid from the NWSL's Angel City.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024.