5 Ottawa players want to ‘win it all’ at FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifier

By Keaton Hills

Five local players are bringing their connection from the Ottawa pitches to sunny Toluca, Mexico, where they’ll chase a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup berth with Team Canada at the Concacaf continental qualifier from Feb. 1-11.

Ottawa South United Force products Mya Angus, Annabelle Chukwu, Isabelle Chukwu and Reese Kay, and Teegan Melenhorst from Ottawa TFC have all been based at the National Development Centre in Toronto in recent years.

But having played together since some of their earliest days in soccer is an even greater weapon, Kay said in a phone interview with the Ottawa Sports Pages from Mexico on the eve of Canada’s first match of the tournament today at 4 p.m. against Puerto Rico.

The centre-back explained that there’s a strong link between the players both on and off the field, and sharing those long-standing connections and friendships has been a big asset both at the NDC and now with Team Canada.

A major key for the team to be successful is that “we all need to have the same mindset and be on the same page,” Kay added. “The mood of the team is really positive right now and the chemistry is starting to come together.

“Our expectation is to win it all.”

There is no stronger link on Team Canada than between twin sisters Annabelle and Isabelle Chukwu, which Kay has witnessed over and over again from the back line as the forwards work their magic around the opposing goal.

“You could see right away it’s a dynamic duo,” Kay underlined. “They’re both so good at working off each other and with each other.”

OSU club president Bill Michalopulos, who coached the four Force players earlier in their careers, said that the Chukwus always seem to “know where each one is, even though it doesn’t look like they’ve seen each other.”

While with OSU, Annabelle won the Ontario Player Development League U14 girls’ scoring title with nearly triple as many goals as anyone else, with 35 in 15 games, as Isabelle drew piles of assists.

Annabelle has proved to be a goal-scoring force when she’s represented Canada at the U15, U17 or U20 levels, with 16 goals in 15 international matches.

“She has the ability to keep calm inside the box, so while there’s chaos and flurry of activity around her, she is very calm in terms of picking a shot or making a pass,” Michalopulos indicated. “That’s really huge, her capability to keep calm.”

Kay and Angus – who scored 25 goals in a season for OSU en route to OPDL championship wins – were a year younger than the Chukwus but were often called up to play with the older group. Melenhorst was often a thorn-in-their-side when they’d meet on rival sides in local play – always one of the smallest players on the pitch, but exceptionally quick, crafty and determined.

On top of hailing from Ottawa, Michalopulos pinpoints exceptionally strong work ethic as the other major commonality shared by the Team Canada members.

“They were totally, totally focused during practice and during the games and they were also doing what I call ‘extra work’,” he recalled. “They would invest time and effort into increasing their skills and learning about the game. They were very focused individuals from a very young age and they were totally absorbed into the game.”

Canada kicks off the group stage against Puerto Rico, followed by matches with Panama on Feb. 4 and USA on Feb. 6.

“That’s the big game,” smiled Michalopulos, noting the Americans will certainly provide a major challenge, though he feels Canada has a good shot at pulling off an upset.

Finishing top-2 in their group is essential to move on in the tournament in hopes of winning one of the two berths available in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

A win over USA could set Canada up for a favourable opponent in the semi-final, which will likely be the deciding game for qualification, unless World Cup-host Dominican Republic – which is already guaranteed a berth – reaches the final, in which case the winner of the third-place match would also advance to the Oct. 16-Nov. 3 global tournament.

Kris Twardek & Matteo de Brienne sign with Atlético Ottawa

As a young generation of local players set off to make their mark in international soccer, a pair of older OSU products have decided to come home. Past Force stars Kris Twardek and Matteo de Brienne signed with their hometown Atlético Ottawa Canadian Premier League team within the past two weeks.

At age 16, Twardek went from OSU to English club Millwall to join their youth academy, where he later wound up signing as a pro. He’s since played for other English clubs, in Poland, in Slovakia and Ireland as well as for Czech and Canadian national teams.

“I always wanted to come home and play in front of my Mum, Dad, siblings and friends that I grew up with. It doesn’t get better than that really,” Twardek, 26, said in an Atlético Ottawa media release announcing his signing to a multi-year deal. “It feels amazing to be here. It’s a blessing, to be able to play in a beautiful stadium, with a passionate and growing fanbase. It’s really exciting to be part of this evolving project.

“From the outside looking in, you can see how the sport has been growing in Ottawa. I grew up in the country, just outside of the city and I was very close with my brother. We were constantly competing in everything related to soccer which gave me such a strong connection to my family and the sport. The club has made me feel confident and valued and I can’t wait to start competing.”

De Brienne, 21, played a season for the Carleton University Ravens before embarking on his pro career in the CPL – first with Atlético, and then with Valour FC in Winnipeg. He earned the CPL’s under-21 player of the year award last season.

“From a young boy coming to Fury FC games to now playing for Atlético Ottawa and in front of these fans, it’s an honour,” he said via Atlético.

The CPL regular season begins in April.

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