Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, out of the international game since November, is back in action with Canada for the June matches against Iran, Curaçao and Honduras.
The 21-year-old from Edmonton missed the last six outings in Canada after developing symptoms of myocarditis, a mild heart condition, after a COVID-19 attack. Davies, named CONCACAF Player of the Year in April, returned to Bayern Munich’s 11th place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on April 6 against Spanish side Villarreal. his first appearance with the club since December 17.
There’s also a spot on coach John Herdman’s 25-man team for winger Raheem Edwards, who has been in good form with the Los Angeles Galaxy this season. The 26-year-old Edwards, who has played four games for Canada, last played for the national team in March 2018 – a 1-0 win over New Zealand in Spain in Herdman’s coaching debut.
Edwards is tied for the MLS lead with three winning assists this season and has five assists in total.
And there is a first senior call-up for 17-year-old striker Luca Koleosho, who made his league debut in Spain with RCD Espanyol Barcelona in the season finale on May 22 against Granada CF.
Koleosho was also named to Canada’s recently released provisional list for the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship. Born in the United States to an Italian-Canadian mother, he moved to Spain when he was 11 years old.
Canada, ranked 38th in the world, opens the FIFA window in June with a friendly against Iran No. 21 on June 5 at BC Place Stadium before launching its League of Nations campaign. CONCACAF four days later against the number 79 Curacao in the same place. Afterwards, the Canadians continue to play in the League of Nations against No. 82 Honduras in San Pedro Sula on June 13th.
The matches are the first for Herdman’s team since it closed qualifying for the CONCACAF World Cup on March 30 in Panama.
“These are three opportunities to move forward with this group of players in preparation for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar,” Herdman said in a statement on Wednesday. “Every minute together is crucial as we prepare to work together to give our best. Opportunity to act against some of the best in the world on the biggest stage.”
“Not a minute can be lost at the moment. Our group of players who competed in 20 matches as part of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers created a foundation of trust, belief and confidence. in each other, so he brought them together and continued to find that the next level will be key to our success in Qatar. “
The Canadians went 4-2-0 in qualifying for the Davies World Cup without Davies, reserving their ticket to the football showcase for the first time since 1986. Canada led the final qualifying round in North America. North and Central and the Caribbean with an 8-2-4, recording a 14-2-4 record in three qualifying rounds as it outperformed its opponents by 54-8.
Iran’s friend has been criticized since it was announced.
The question is whether Canada should host Iran because of the Canadians who died on Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 when it was shot down on January 8, 2020, minutes after taking off from Tehran, for a Iranian surface-to-air missile. The Canadian government says that among the 176 people killed were 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents.
Hamed Esmaeilion, a spokesman for the PS752 Flight Victims’ Families Association, says his group has been against the party since it was first rumored. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has spoken out against the game and said this week that it will be up to the Canadian Border Services Agency to decide whether the Iranian team can enter the country.
Canada Soccer has had very little to say about the controversy, no doubt in the hope that it will disappear so that it can benefit from the box office of a home game while offering the Herdman team a rare proof that it is not the CONCACAF.
“There are some areas of the team that we would like to strengthen before Qatar,” Herdman said. “We are looking to evaluate player-specific profiles that can contribute to our tactical approach against top-tier rivals.”
Herdman has named a solid squad for the June games with more than 50 veterans in goalkeeper Milan Borjan (Red Star Belgrade), midfielders Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC), Samuel Piette (CF Montreal) and Atiba Hutchinson (Besiktas) and Cyle Larin. (Besiktas).
The team features newly crowned champions Davies (Bayern Munich, Germany), Borjan (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia), Tajon Buchanan (Club Brugge, Belgium) and Stephen Eustaquio (FC Porto, Portugal).
The roster features 10 MLS players, including Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller of CF Montreal, Lucas Cavallini of the Vancouver Whitecaps and Osorio of Toronto.
Following this year’s World Cup in Qatar, Canada will continue to play in the League of Nations in March 2023, hosting Honduras and playing Curaçao.
The top two teams in Group A of the Canadian League of Nations will qualify for the 2023 Gold Cup, while the last-placed team will be relegated to the CONCACAF League of Nations B and other World Cup matches. classification to reach the Gold Cup.
Herdman has a powerful attacking force on Davies, Cavallini, Larin, Buchanan, Jonathan David, Junior Hoilett, as well as Charles-Andreas Brym, Ike Ugbo and Koleosho.
The 23-year-old Brym, who plays in the Dutch second division with FC Eindhoven, won his sixth match with Canada last November in a 4-1 win over Panama in the World Cup qualifier. World.
Goalkeepers: Milan Borjan, Red Star Belgrade (Serbia); Maxime Crepeau, Los Angeles FC (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United (MLS).
Defenders: Samuel Adekugbe, Hatayspor FC (Turkey); Raheem Edwards, Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS); Doneil Henry, Los Angeles FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, CF Montreal (MLS); Scott Kennedy, SSV Jahn Regensburg (Germany); Richie Laryea, Nottingham Forest (England); Kamal Miller, CF Montreal (MLS); Steven Vitoria, Moreirense FC (Portugal).
Midfielders: Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Atiba Hutchinson, Besiktas (Turkey); Mark-Anthony Kaye, Colorado Rapids (MLS); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Samuel Piette, CF Montreal (MLS).
Forwards: Charles-Andreas Brym, FC Eindhoven (Netherlands); Tajon Buchanan, Club Brugge KV (Belgium); Lucas Cavallini, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Jonathan David, Lille OSC (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); David (Junior) Hoilett, Reading FC (England); Luca Koleosho, RCD Espanyol (Spain); Cyle Larin, Besiktas (Turkey); Ike Ugbo, ES Troyes AC (France).