PFC players among call-ups to national teams
It was club before impending country duty Saturday for striker Reon Moore and midfielder Cedric Toussaint. They warmed up for their call-ups this month to the national teams of Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti, respectively, by helping lead Pacific FC to a 2-1 Canadian Premier League exhibition victory over Vancouver FC on the Nanaimo District Secondary turf field.
The PFC pair are among seven CPL players, including Gabriel Bitar of VFC, to earn call-ups this month to their national sides for the upcoming March international window.
“This is a ringing endorsement of both our club and our league,” said Pacific FC managing-director Paul Beirne.
“This is the vision we had when the CPL was created. I am impressed this has happened as fast as it has. We expect nothing less in the future as the CPL continues to grow.”
Moore has been called up for Trinidad and Tobago’s CONCACAF play-in game against Canada on March 23 in Frisco, Texas, with the winner advancing to a prestigious opening date this summer in the Copa America against defending World Cup champion Argentina.
Moore was originally left off the Soca Warriors roster but received the late call. He has been capped 25 times with eight goals for Trinidad and Tobago and played in the 2021 Gold Cup and the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 CONCACAF Nations League competitions. The five-foot-nine native of Sangre Grande scored three goals and added an assist over five 2023-2024 Nations League games, including scoring in a 2-1 upset of the U.S. in November.
“[Moore] is scoring goals at the international level consistently and this comes down to his strong mentality,” PFC head coach James Merriman has said of his new signing, who was inked to a two-season deal this month, from Defence Force of the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League.
The CPL will be well represented on the Soca Warriors roster for the Canada game with Moore joining 11-time capped Andre Rampersad from the HFX Wanderers of Halifax and former CPL player Malcolm Shaw, who played last season for Atletico Ottawa. Ryan Telfer of HFX was also called up by the Soca Warriors for the key Canada fixture but has been ruled out due to injury.
Veteran PFC midfielder Toussaint has been called up for Haiti’s friendly against host French Guiana in Cayenne, also on March 23. Entering his third season with the Tridents, the reliable Toussaint has 37 appearances for PFC. He was born in Drummondville, Que., but qualifies to play for Haiti through his Haitian-born dad Jean-Robert Toussaint.
Cedric Toussaint will be joined in Cayenne by CPL Forge FC defender and seven-time Haiti-capped Garven Metusala.
Meanwhile, VFC striker Bitar was been called up for Lebanon’s two 2026 World Cup qualifying matches March 21 and March 25 against Australia in Sydney. The second of those will be considered Lebanon’s home game, which had to be moved to Oz, because of the situation in the Middle East.
Bitar was born in Ottawa but qualifies for Lebanon because of ancestry as both his parents were born in the capital Beirut. He has been capped five times.
“I am very grateful for this next opportunity to play for Lebanon and I hope to help the team qualify for the 2026 World Cup,” Bitar said in a statement.
Also called up for Asian region qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is former PFC midfielder Matthew Baldisimo, now with York United of the CPL, who will play for the Philippines in two games this month against Iraq.
Dennis Salanovic of York United, capped 58 times with four goals for Liechtenstein, has been again summoned for UEFA friendlies against the Faroe Islands and Latvia on March 22 and March 26.
As well, two former CPL players — respective Cavalry FC and Valour FC products defender Joel Waterman and goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois — have been named to the Canadian roster for the crucial CONCACAF playin game against Moore and the Soca Warriors in Texas.
Pacific FC opens the 2024 CPL season April 13 at Starlight Stadium when Moore and the Tridents will face Rampersad, Telfer (pending health) and the HFX Wanderers. Vancouver FC opens April 14 in Langley against Valour FC of Winnipeg.
ON THE PITCH: Toussaint went the full 90 minutes while Moore came into the game at the start of the second half Saturday in Nanaimo. Two recent signings with Premiership European experience, hometown Victoria-product Dario Zanatta in Scotland and Andre Andrei Tircovea from Romania, scored the PFC goals.