sstackho Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Sports Special Ks return to national women's soccer side: Forwards Kara Lang, Katie Thorlakson back from injuries CanWest News Service 380 words 28 January 2007 Edmonton Journal Final C2 English Copyright © 2007 Edmonton Journal VANCOUVER VANCOUVER - Canada's senior women's national soccer team got a double dose of good news this week as forwards Katie Thorlakson and Kara Lang, who were sidelined most of the 2006 calendar year with serious knee injuries, returned to the fold in preparation for this year's World Cup tournament in China. The multi-talented front runners participated in the first stage of the national team's Vancouver-based residency camp training program after suffering torn anterior cruciate ligaments last summer. Thorlakson and Lang were spectators when Canada clinched a World Cup berth last November during the CONCACAF zone Gold Cup tournament in Carson, Calif. Both hope to be fully fit for the World Cup, scheduled for Sept. 10-30 in five Chinese cities. "Katie and Kara aren't yet ready to play full 90-minute games, but they will be in eight months time at the World Cup," says national team head coach Even Pellerud. "This is fantastic news. They're both great players, and will be used as target strikers. They're good at making space for themselves and holding the ball up for the other forwards." Pellerud was forced to juggle his forward combinations during Thorlakson's and Lang's absence. Regular starting striker Christine Sinclair was joined, alternately, by Rhian Wilkinson, Martina Franko, Melanie Booth, Brittany Timko and Jodi-Ann Robinson in a shifting tide of front runners that left the team unsettled, if not always wanting for goals. Thorlakson, 22, and a native of Langley, B.C., has concluded her four-year collegiate career with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. She also played for the Vancouver Whitecaps while enrolled at Notre Dame. "I'm not back to playing yet, but I hope that will happen in the next month or so," says Thorlakson, who has 13 international caps but hasn't played for Canada since March 4, 2006 in a friendly game against the Netherlands. Lang, 20, hails from Oakville, Ont., and will enter her junior year with the UCLA Bruins next fall. She has also played for the Whitecaps while earning 53 caps and scoring 23 goals with the national team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesW Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Any thing that is "fantastic news" must be a good thing for our side. James http://canuckreport.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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