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On Monday, June 10, in Montpellier, France, three former West Virginia women’s soccer players will play in their respective opening matches for Canada and Cameroon in Group E of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. This is the second-straight Women’s World Cup in which a Mountaineer has played.
Returning to action for the Canada women’s national soccer team, are 2015 Women’s World Cup Best Younger Player Kadeisha Buchanan and the versatile Ashley Lawrence. Buchanan, a defender plays for Olympique Lyonnaise in Lyon—inarguably the best women’s professional club in the world. Lawrence, a winger signed for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 and has appeared 45 times for the Paris women’s professional club. Buchanan and Lawrence both finished at WVU in 2016.
Congratulations to Mountaineer alums Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence - they will compete in their second FIFA Women's World Cup next month! | https://t.co/ABvsGZBj6Q pic.twitter.com/eqkYa0mHqh
— WVU Women's Soccer (@wvuwomenssoccer) May 25, 2019
Michaela Abam, born in Houston, Texas, has only appeared once for Cameroon, but has been selected to play for the Indomitable Lioness for the 2019 Women’s World Cup. Abam, a forward, currently plays for Paris FC but was drafted by Sky Blue FC in 2018.
A HUGE congratulations to Michaela Abam and Easther Mayi Kith ➡ the pair will play for Cameroon at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup! | https://t.co/Vy7hwUThOZ pic.twitter.com/hgivSdiagS
— WVU Women's Soccer (@wvuwomenssoccer) May 6, 2019
All three Mountaineer pros compete in Division 1 Feminine. Lyon won the league for the 13th time in a row in 2018-2019 with PSG finishing second, both qualified for the 2019-2020 UEFA Women’s Champions League. Paris FC placed fifth. Lyon also won its fourth-straight Champions League title this season.
Canada is making its seventh-straight Women’s World Cup final tournament. The country hosted the tournament in 2015, losing to England in the quarterfinals. Les Rouges’ best finish was fourth at the 2003 finals in the U.S.
This is the second appearance for Cameroon in the Women’s World Cup finals. In 2015, the Indomitable Lionesses qualified for the first time and reached the round of 16.
Canada Schedule:
- Canada vs. Cameroon - June 10, 3 p.m. EDT - Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier
- Canada vs. New Zealand - June 15, 3 p.m. EDT - Stade des Alpes, Grenoble
- Netherlands vs. Canada - June 20, noon, Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims
Cameroon Schedule:
- Canada vs. Cameroon - June 10, 3 p.m. EDT - Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier
- Netherlands vs. Cameroon - June 15, 9 a.m. EDT - Stade du Hainaut, Valenciennes
- Cameroon vs. New Zealand - June 20, noon EDT - Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier
Easther Mayi-Kith, who finished with Abam in 2017, was named to Cameroon’s preliminary roster for the tournament but was not on the final roster presented to FIFA. Mayi-Kith also plays professionally in France, for HSC Montpellier.