Canada coach Jesse Marsch has finalized his Copa America roster and identified places for Ali Ahmed, Tani Oluwaseyi and Jacen Russell-Rowe in the 26-man squad. Found.
Missing are defender Dominick Zator, winger Charles-Andreas Brym and forward Ike Ugbo.
Marsch and the 49th-ranked Canadian men are in Atlanta preparing for Thursday’s tournament opener against top-ranked Argentina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Canada will play Group A against Peru (world No. 32) at the Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City on June 25 and against Chile (world No. 42) at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on June 29.
“Obviously we’re looking forward to this tournament,” said Marsh, who took over as Canada coach on May 13. “We know it’s a big challenge.”
“I think we were more prepared after seeing the games we played in Europe and the quality of those games,” he added. “It wouldn’t be a shock to us if we faced the quality and level of play against Argentina and I think it will give us a better chance to perform well and hopefully get a result.”
Oluwasei was a late addition to Canada’s camp ahead of friendlies against seventh-place Netherlands and second-place France earlier this month. He scored his first win from the bench against France.
It marks his first international call-up for the 24-year-old, who has led Minnesota United this season with seven goals and four assists. Oluwaseyi, who was born in Abuja, could also make it to Nigeria.
Soccer Canada announced Thursday the additions of wingback Ahmed from the Vancouver Whitecaps and forward Russell-Rowe from the Columbus Crew, while Zator and Bream return to clubs in Poland (Corona Kielce) and the Netherlands (Sparta Rotterdam). , each.
Ugbo, who plays for Troyes in France, did not show much in the 4-0 loss to the Netherlands or the goalless draw against France. Zator and Brym both came off the bench against the Netherlands and played 36 minutes.
Marsch’s roster included 20 of the 23 players called up by interim coach Mauro Biello, now on Marsch’s staff, for the 2-0 Copa qualifying win over Trinidad and Tobago in March.
The players who were not taken over were goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, defender Joel Waterman and Ugbo.
Other players added to the roster in March include goalkeeper Thomas McGill, defender Kyle Hiebert, wingbacks Richie Laryea and Ahmed, and forwards Junior Hoilett and Oluwaseyi.
Other familiar faces include Maxime Crepeau, Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Stephen Eustaquio, Alistair Johnston, Cyle Larin, Jonathan Osorio and Samuel Piette.
“It’s obviously about us trying to do our best in the Copa America, but we also need to know our broad group of players so that we understand exactly who fits what we’re trying to do from a personality perspective and a player perspective. Build here. .” Marsch said of his roster selections:
It is a young squad consisting of 15 players under the age of 25. There are only three players over the age of 30: Crepo (30), Osorio (32), and Hoilett (34). The youngest player in the squad is 18-year-old Fulham defender Luc de Fougerolles.
The 48th Copa America, co-hosted by CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, will feature 16 teams competing at 14 stadiums in 13 cities in the United States.
CONCACAF had six guest teams participating. Four CONCACAF Nations League semifinalists (No. 11 USA, No. 14 Mexico, No. 45 Panama, No. 55 Jamaica) and two play-in winners (No. 52 Canada, Costa Rica).
This is Canada’s first Copa America trip.
The Canadian men’s team was scheduled to participate in the 2001 Copa America as a reward for winning the Gold Cup in February 2000. But Canada Soccer decided not to participate less than a week before the scheduled opener in Colombia.
CONMEBOL announced the day before the tournament that it would be postponed to 2002 due to security concerns. However, it was decided to hold the event in Colombia five days later.
Canada, which was scheduled to play against Argentina in Medellin, had already sent its players back to their teams and did not participate in the game. Costa Rica then joined Mexico as a guest team in the 12-nation tournament, replacing Canada.
Canada’s Copa America roster
goalkeeper: Maxime Crepo, Portland Timbers (MLS); Thomas McGill, Brighton & Hove Albion (England); Dane St. Clair of Minnesota United (MLS).
defender: Moise Bombito, Colorado Rapids (MLS); Derek Cornelius, Malm├╢ FF (Sweden); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Luc de Fougerolles, Fulham (England); Kyle Hibbert (St. Louis City SC (MLS)); Alistair Johnstone, Celtic (Scotland); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS).
midfielder: Ali Ahmed, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Mathieu Chonière, CF Montreal (MLS); Stefan Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Ishmael Cohn, Watford (England); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Samuel Piete, CF Montreal (MLS); Jacob Schappelberg, Nashville SC (MLS)
forward: Theo Bair, Motherwell (Scotland); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Junior Hoilett, Aberdeen (Scotland); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Liam Millar, FC Basel (Switzerland); Tani Oluwasei, Minnesota United (MLS); Jacen Russell-Rowe, Columbus Crew (MLS).
