Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan is headed for Portugal to play for Canada in the Algarve Cup. (Photo courtesy of Sky Blue FC) 

Three Sky Blue FC players have been called into the Canadian women’s national team for the Algarve Cup in Portugal.

Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and forwards Janine Beckie and Adriana Leon were among the 23-player roster.

The tournament will run from Feb. 28-March 7.

The competition will mark the first competitive matches for head coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller at the helm, with Canada having won the 12-team tournament in 2016 and finishing as runners up in 2017.

Drawn into Group B, Canada will face Sweden in its opening match on Feb. 28 at 1 p.m. ET at Bela Vista Municipal Stadium, followed by Russia on March 2 at 1 p.m. ET at Estádio Algarve, and Korea Republic on March 5 at 9:00 a.m. ET at Lagos Municipal Stadium. All teams will play a fourth match on March 7 to determine the tournament standings.

“Once again, we are bringing a young, hungry team, blended with more experienced veteran players to the Algarve Cup as we continue to expand our tournament expertise heading into the CONCACAF Women’s Championship later this year,” Heiner-Møller said. “The competition format is especially important for the upcoming CONCACAF tournament which will serve as the qualification route for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019, as it will allow us to focus on how we prepare the team for quick turnarounds between games, adapt to different opponents in short periods of time, and reinforce on-field relationships and chemistry between players.”

Canada’s squad includes 15 players who won the bronze at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

The Canada roster

GK Stephanie Labbe, age 31, from Stony Plain, AB
GK Erin McLeod, age 34, from St. Albert, AB/ FC Rosengård (Damallsvenskan)
GK Kailen Sheridan, age 22, from Whitby, ON/Sky Blue FC (NWSL)
FB Lindsay Agnew, age 22, from Kingston, ON/ Houston Dash (NWSL)
FB Allysha Chapman, age 29, from Courtice, ON/ North Carolina Courage (NWSL)
FB Ashley Lawrence, age 22, from Caledon, ON/Paris Saint German (Division 1 Féminine France)
FB Shannon Woeller, age 28, from Vancouver, BC/ FF USV Jena (Frauen-Bundesliga)
CB Shelina Zadorsky, age 25, from London, ON/ Orlando Pride (NWSL)
CB Kadeisha Buchanan, age 22, from Brampton, ON/ Olympique Lyonnais (Division 1 Féminine France)
M/CB Rebecca Quinn, age 22, from Toronto, ON/ Washington Spirit (NWSL)
M Maegan Kelly, age 25, from Kansas City, MO & Toronto, ON/ FC Kansas City (NWSL)
M Desiree Scott, age 30, from Winnipeg, MB/ Utah Royals FC (NWSL)
M Sophie Schmidt, age 29, from Abbotsford, BC/ FFC Frankfurt (Frauen-Bundesliga)
M Jessie Fleming, age 19, from London, ON/UCLA (NCAA)
M Diana Matheson, age 33, from Oakville, ON/Utah Royals FC (NWSL)
M Julia Grosso, age 17, from Vancouver, BC / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite/ Canada Soccer Regional EXCEL Super Centre (British Columbia)
F Christine Sinclair, age 34, from Burnaby, BC/ Portland Thorns (NWSL)
F Deanne Rose, age 18, from Alliston, ON/ University of Florida Gators (NCAA)
F Janine Beckie, age 23, from Highlands Ranch, CO/ Sky Blue FC (NWSL)
F Adriana Leon, age 25, from King City, ON/ Sky Blue FC (NWSL)
F Nichelle Prince, age 22, from Ajax, ON/ Houston Dash (NWSL)
F Jordyn Huitema, age 16, from Chilliwack, BC/ Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite/ Canada Soccer Regional EXCEL Super Centre (British Columbia)
F Jenna Hellstrom, age 22, from Sudbury, ON/ FC Rosengård (Damallsvenskan)

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.