3 Impact players on 23-man roster
Canada soccer coach Octavio Zambrano has trimmed his roster to 23 for next Tuesday’s friendly with Curaçao in Montreal.
Zambrano had brought 28 to camp, reducing the numbers after a trials match.
The White team beat the Red team 4-1 in the 80-minute game Thursday at the Montreal Impact training centre. Anthony Jackson Hamel opened the scoring for the Red team with the White squad pulling ahead on an own goal and strikes from Kianz Froese, Tyler Pasher and Russell Teibert.
After the match, Zambrano released goalkeeper James Pantemis, defenders Kwame Awuah and Wandrille Lefevre and midfielders Tesho Akindele and Nicolas Galvis.
Pantemis, who is part of the Impact system, will remain on call in case of goalkeeper injury.
“The new guys have adapted well while the veterans can see a path that, if we stay on it, we can get some results,” Zambrano said in a release. “You can start to see what the young guys can bring to the national team, but you can also see why the experienced players are still part of the team. It is a good combination and a well-balanced team.”
The game against No. 70 Curaçao is a warm-up for the Gold Cup for Zambrano’s team. Canada, ranked 109th, is in a group with No. 19 Costa Rica, No. 69 Honduras and French Guiana, which is not part of FIFA and as such is not ranked.
Patrice Bernier, a 37-yearold midfielder with the Impact, is the most experienced player in the squad with 53 international appearances.
The youngest player is 16-year-old Vancouver Whitecap Alphonso Davies, a Liberian-born midfielder who became a Canadian citizen earlier this week.
Goalkeepers:
Maxime Crépeau Milan Borjan
Defenders:
Fraser Aird Manjrekar James Dejan Jakovic Marcel de Jong Juan Cordova Andres Fresenga Tyler Pasher
Midfielders:
Kianz Froese Samuel Piette Russell Teibert Will Johnson David (Junior) Hoilett Alphonso Davies Jonathan Osorio Mark-Anthony Kaye Adam Straith Raheem Edwards Patrice Bernier
Midfielder-Forward:
Anthony Jackson-Hamel
Forwards:
Cyle Larin Marcus Haber