By Canadian Press

Interim Canada coach Mauro Biello names roster for crucial Copa America playoff

Mar 12, 2024 | 8:08 AM

Alphonso Davies, who needed dental work after taking a boot to the face on the weekend for Bayern Munich, is among the 23 players called up by interim coach Mauro Biello for Canada’s crucial Copa America qualifying playoff against Trinidad and Tobago.

The 50th-ranked Canadian men take on the 96th-ranked Soca Warriors on March 23 in Frisco, Texas, with the winner slotting into Group A alongside top-ranked Argentina, No. 33 Peru and No. 42 Chile at this summer’s Copa America.

It’s a key outing for Canada, which is looking to face elite opposition in its buildup to co-hosting the 2026 World Cup. It’s also important for Biello, who is a candidate for the permanent coaching position.

Canada was forced into the playoff after losing the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal in November to No. 57 Jamaica on the away goals rule with the two-legged series knotted at 4-4.

The 13th-ranked U.S., No. 15 Mexico, No. 44 Panama and Jamaica — the four quarterfinal winners — have already booked their ticket as CONCACAF guest teams at the 16-team Copa America that runs June 20 to July 14 across 14 U.S. cities.

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No. 54 Costa Rica takes on No. 78 Honduras in the other play-in match March 23.

The Canadians are slated to gather in Texas on Monday to prepare for the Trinidad game.

“The squad is filled with young, in-form talent,” Biello said in a statement. “This is a chance for guys to come in with a fresh attitude to form a new culture.”

Canada Soccer calls the roster the youngest men’s squad since 2019, with all but one player (31-year-old midfielder Jonathan Osorio of Toronto FC) under the age of 30. Six are 23 or younger.

Eleven players are from Major League Soccer, including four from CF Montreal (goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, defender Joel Waterman and midfielders Mathieu Choiniere and Samuel Piette) and one from Toronto (Osorio).

Davies’ first start since a knee injury lasted just 14 minutes Saturday when he was clipped in the face by Swiss defender Silvan Widmer’s boot as they came together in a challenge for a high ball in Bayern’s 8-1 win over Mainz in Bundesliga play.

The 23-year-old left back from Edmonton strained a knee ligament strain during Bayern’s 3-1 home win against Borussia Moenchengladbach on Feb. 3. He had made two appearances off the bench prior to Saturday’s start,

In addition to Davies, the European contingent includes defender Alistair Johnston (Celtic, Scotland), midfielders Stephen Eustaquio (Porto), winger/wingback Tajon Buchanan (Inter Milan, Italy) and forwards Jonathan David (Lille, France) and Cyle Larin (Mallorca, Spain).

Sirois is joined by fellow ‘keepers Maxime Crepeau and Dayne St. Clair. Veteran Milan Borjan, a 36-year-old with 80 caps who has captained Canada, is not on the roster

There are 10 players on the roster with less than 10 caps including the uncapped Sirois and Fulham defender Luc de Fougerolles, both of whom have been in camp before. Four other players — Choiniere, Nashville winger Jacob Shaffelburg and forwards Jacen Russell-Rowe of Columbus and Theo Bair of Scotland’s Motherwell — have been capped but have yet to start for Canada.

Osorio is the most-capped player with 71 appearances, followed by Piette’s 67 and Larin’s 65.

Biello has also clearly picked on form in choosing Choiniere, Shaffelburg, Russell-Rowe and Bair, among others.

Russell-Rowe, who came off the bench to score in Columbus’ 2-1 win over Chicago on Saturday, was named to the MLS team of the week Monday while Choiniere was on the weekly all-star bench.

Shaffelburg scored twice in Nashville’s 2-2 tie with Inter Miami in CONCACAF Champions Cup play last week. Bair is tied for fifth in Scottish Premiership scoring with 11 goals in 29 outings.

David, usually one of the first names on the Canada team sheet, is second in France’s Ligue 1 scoring with 14 goals, second only to Kylian Mbappe’s 21 for Paris Saint-Germain.

The South American championship has featured guest teams from North America and Asia since the 1990s. 

Canada has never taken part although it was slated to compete in the 2001 edition as a reward for winning the Gold Cup in February 2000.

CONMEBOL, the South American federation, announced 10 days before the scheduled kickoff that the tournament would be postponed to 2002 due to security concerns in host Colombia. But five days later, it decided to go ahead with the event.

The Canadian players had been returned to their clubs by that time so Canada elected not to take part. Costa Rica subsequently took its place, joining Mexico as a guest team at the 12-country tournament.

Canada Roster

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, Colorado Rapids (MLS); Derek Cornelius, Malmö FF (Sweden); Luc de Fougerolles, Fulham (England); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS). 

Midfielders: Mathieu Choiniere, CF Montreal; Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Ismael Kone, Watford (England); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Samuel Piette, CF Montreal (MLS). 

Fullback/Forwards: Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Liam Millar, Preston North End (England); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS).

Forwards: Theo Bair, Motherwell (Scotland); Jonathan David, Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Jacen Russell-Rowe, Columbus Crew (MLS); Ike Ugbo, Sheffield Wednesday (England). 

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2024

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press