Nov. 1, 2008

UTEP junior midfield Anoop Josan has passed through the final roster cuts for Team Canada, and will help her country fight for the championship at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Chile 2008 from Nov. 19-Dec. 7. The placement to the squad will afford Josan the opportunity to showcase her talents on one of the highest stages in the sport.

The native of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, who is redshirting this year in order to compete at the prestigious event, is no stranger to the international stage. She was a member of the Canadian Olympic Development Team that won the 2007 International Soccer Festival. Furthermore, she has worked out and gained experience at the National Training Center. She also competed at the 2005 adidas cup as a member of the U-18 national team and for the U-17 development team.

"I am so proud of Anoop making the Canadian Under-20 World Cup team,” UTEP head coach Kevin Cross said. “It is a dream come true for her, and she has worked her whole life for this opportunity to represent her country.  Not only is she representing Team Canada, but she is also representing the UTEP Soccer program very well.”

Team Canada was drawn into Group C, along with Germany, Japan and Congo DR. The squad’s schedule for the group round commences with a match against vs. Japan on Nov. 20. Team Canada battles Congo DR on Nov. 23 and Germany on 27. The first two tilts will be contested at the Estadio Municipal in Santiago, Chile while the final game will take place at the Estadio Francisco Sanchez Rumoroso in Coquimbo, Chile.

The top-two teams in Group C will advance to the quarter-final stage. Group C teams play their quarter-final matches on Dec. 1 against teams from Group D (Korea DPR, Brazil, Mexico, Norway). The two semi-finals take place on Dec. 4 while the last two matches (the final and the match for third place) take place on Dec. 7.

Canada boasts an all-time record of 41-19-5 in international competition. It took home the silver medal in the 2002 version of the event, while staking gold medals at the 2004 and 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship.

Josan will once again take the pitch for the Miners in 2009, and Cross’ charges will certainly be glad to have her back. She has been an instrumental member of the squad since venturing to the Sun City. In 2006 Josan tallied the second-highest single-season assist total (14) in program history on the way to earning freshman All-America honors. Last year, Josan started 18 of 21 matches. She racked up three goals and three assists for nine points.

“We will be very excited to have her back in the line-up in 2009, and cannot wait to follow her playing with Canada in the World Cup this November. Dreams can come true if you work hard enough for something and want it bad enough. BELIEVE!'"