Several MLS youngsters named in Canada's 23-man Gold Cup roster
Currently on a seven-game unbeaten streak versus CONCACAF opposition, Canada announced Tuesday the 23-man roster that it hopes will continue that run in next month's Gold Cup.
“The main aim in this Gold Cup for us is to get as far as possible. We want to get to the final and every game that we get in the tournament will increase our level of play,” head coach Benito Floro toldCanadaSoccer.com.
Floro summoned a veteran-laden squad for the tournament, bolstered by several younger players who have started to make their marks at the club and international levels.
Returning to the Canadian side after missing a pair of successful World Cup qualifiers against Dominica earlier this month are defenders Marcel de Jong, André Hainault and Dejan Jakovic, joined by fellow stalwarts Simoen Jackson and Pedro Pacheco. On the flip side, Atiba Hutchinson will not take part in the competition after leaving Canada's pre-qualifier camp injured, and Portland Timbers captain Will Johnson has not been named to the roster after sitting on the bench for both Canadian wins over Dominica.
The other notable absence is goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who recently re-joined Bulgarian club Ludogorets. The Razgrad-based club is participating in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, with a home-and-away series against Moldovan side Milsami Orhei set for mid-July.
Included in the Canadian squad are MLS-based attacking tandem Cyle Larin and Tesho Akindele, who wreaked havoc against Dominica in their first official matches for the national team. In addition, 20-year-old Toronto FC goalkeeper Quillan Roberts has been called in to take Borjan's roster spot.
Canada heads into the Gold Cup on a four-game winning streak, with all of those victories coming against CONCACAF teams. Under Floro, Canada has yet to lose to any opposition from within the region, but the Spaniard cautioned that the level of competition at the Gold Cup will represent a step up from what his team has faced so far this year.
“It is true that good results always help,” he said. “But now we are going to play against three teams that are higher ranked than us so we need to show that we are growing and developing against those teams and show that we are doing things in the right way.”
The Canadians open their tournament against El Savador at the StubHub Center on July 8 before heading to Houston to take on Jamaica three days later. Canada then hosts Costa Rica at BMO Field in Toronto in the group finale on July 14.
FULL ROSTER:
GOALKEEPERS: Lars Hirschfeld (Valerenga), Quillan Roberts (Toronto FC), Kenny Stamatopoulos (AIK)
DEFENDERS: Marcel de Jong (Sporting KC), David Edgar (Birmingham City), Andre Hainault (VfR Aalen), Dejan Jakovic (Shimizu S-Pulse), Nik Ledgerwood (Energie Cottbus), Ashtone Morgan (Toronto FC), Karl W. Ouimette (New York Red Bulls), Adam Straith (Fredrikstad)
MIDFIELDERS: Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas), Kyle Bekker (FC Dallas), Julian de Guzman (Ottawa Fury FC), Simeon Jackson (Coventry City), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC), Pedro Pacheco (Santa Clara), Samuel Piette (Deportivo la Coruña), Tosaint Ricketts (Hapoel Haifa), Russell Teibert (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Maxim Tissot (Impact de Montréal)
FORWARDS: Marcus Haber (Crewe Alexandra), Cyle Larin (Orlando City SC)
FOX Soccer and Goal.com have teamed up to bring you the best in world soccer coverage. Visit Goal.com, and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
More from Goal.com:
Transfer talk: 24/7 source for the latest rumors
