Saturday’s friendly between Canada and Mexico in Vancouver was a celebration on a few different levels.

It gave the Canadian women’s team a chance to embrace their home fans for the first time since capturing a second straight Olympic medal last summer.



It also allowed the team the opportunity to send their well wishes to a trio of retiring players who have been key contributors to the program for over a decade.



Here are my three takeaways from Canada’s 3-2 victory over Mexico at B.C. Place.



WELCOME HOME

It’s hard to believe, but this was actually Canada’s first game in Vancouver since the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. With the team mostly training out of a sports centre in the area, the city has become home to the players and coaching staff.



It was only fitting to have their first post-Rio match at B.C. Place–their back-to-back Olympic podium journey began there in early 2012, when they qualified for the London Games with a victory over Mexico in the CONCACAF qualifying tournament.



Saturday’s starting lineup featured 10 members from last summer’s Rio Olympic squad, with the only new face being 17-year-old Sarah Stratigakis, who made her senior team debut. Women’s EXCEL Program Director Bev Priestman has spoken glowingly about the work the midfielder has done at the U-15, U-17 and U-20 levels. For her to get a start in such a high-profile game says a lot about how highly rated she is by coach John Herdman. Remember her name, because she has a bright future ahead of her.



Understandably, the game was a little disjointed at times from both sides with such long hiatuses from meaningful action on the pitch. Canada’s back line also had to make adjustments without Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence.

Janine Beckie was a standout, displaying her finishing abilities as she netted a brace, and the continuing budding chemistry she has with Christine Sinclair. Deanne Rose, who opened the scoring for Canada, showed why she’s the future of the team. She’s crafty and unafraid of going 1-v-1 when deep in the final third of the pitch.

END OF AN ERA

Goodbyes are never easy, especially when you’ve spent so much time on a team. Melissa Tancredi, Rhian Wilkinson and Marie-Eve Nault combined to represent Canada in over 370 matches and win six Olympic medals. Each has made a significant impact to the national program.



Tancredi, known for her tenacious style, has always had a panache for scoring timely goals. During the 2012 Olympics, her brace versus Sweden was crucial to Canada’s advancement out of the group stage. Four years later in Rio, the striker put the team on her back, and wearing the captain’s arm band helped them beat Germany for the first time in history. The 35-year-old is now embarking on a chiropractic career.



Wilkinson, 34, proved time and again over her 13-year tenure why she was a mainstay of the back line. Without her hard work and leadership, the program would not be in the shape it is today, as she proved to be a mentor for many of the youngsters making their way through the ranks. She’s now ready to take her next step in coaching.



Sportsnet recently spoke to Nault, who admitted her career was never easy, but her perseverance kept her going. She wanted to prove doubters wrong and show them she had a place on the team, which she did during the 2012 Olympics when she filled in masterfully. The defender, who is 12 days shy of her 35th birthday, has begun her new career of helping other athletes wanting to reach their goals.



It’s been a pleasure covering all three of them over the years. They represented Canada with passion, heart and pride.

NEW FACES

Saturday’s match versus Mexico marked a new four-year cycle with the national team.



The roster featured a handful of players making the jump from the EXCEL program: Lindsay Agnew, Ashley Cathro, Jordyn Huitema, Alex Lamontagne, Sarah Stratigakis and Hannah Taylor. Agnew was recently drafted by the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League, where she’ll join fellow Canadians Stephanie Labbe and Shelina Zadorsky. At 16 and 15, respectively, Cathro and Huitema are the youngest of the bunch. Both represented Canada at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup last year in Jordan. Stratigakis has been a standout at all youth levels and she suited up in the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup alongside Lamontagne and Taylor.



NOTES: Two notable absences versus Mexico were defender/midfielder Ashley Lawrence (Paris Saint-Germain) and centre-back Kadeisha Buchanan (Lyon). Both recently signed professional contracts in France’s Division 1 Féminine and because this friendly didn’t fall during an official FIFA international calendar break, they were unable to attend due to club commitments… Canada and Mexico will face off again on Feb. 7 in a closed door match at B.C. Place… Canada will travel to Portugal next month to take part in the annual Algarve Cup, a tournament they won last year. Their opening match is March 1 versus Denmark. They’ll also play Russia and Portugal.