Canadian star forward Olivia Smith, who was injured in a 1-0 defeat to Switzerland on Friday, has returned to her club team in England to receive treatment for a hip pointer. Canada Soccer has confirmed that the 21-year-old from Whitby, Ont., will be focusing on her recovery at Arsenal in London.
Additionally, teenage forward Kaylee Hunter has left the national team. The 17-year-old from Calgary was sidelined for the Swiss game in Lucerne due to a pre-existing injury and has returned to AFC Toronto for further rehabilitation.
Following their loss to Switzerland, the ninth-ranked Canadian women’s team is preparing to face the 11th-ranked Netherlands in Nijmegen on Tuesday. They will wrap up their 2025 fixtures with two matches against the 8th-ranked Japan during the November FIFA window.
Smith sustained her injury during her first appearance for Canada since transferring from Liverpool to Arsenal in July for a then-record transfer fee of one million pounds ($1.87 million). The incident occurred in the 32nd minute of the match when she was brought down by Swiss defender Viola Calligaris while contesting for the ball. Smith had to be assisted off the field after receiving medical attention for approximately five minutes.
Canada’s head coach, Casey Stoney, expressed disappointment over the incident, stating that they felt hard done by some decisions during the game. This injury setback follows Smith’s early exit from a friendly against Haiti in June due to a head injury.
Smith, a two-time Canada Youth Player of the Year, has contributed three goals and three assists in 19 senior appearances for the national team. Hunter, on the other hand, was called up to the senior squad after being unavailable for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup due to club commitments.
Despite the challenges, both Smith and Hunter have showcased their talent and potential on the pitch, with Hunter notably excelling with 14 goals and three assists in the Northern Super League this season.