Canada’s Roster Set for USA Friendly

Ottawa, Ontario – Canada’s Head Coach, Frank Yallop, has announced his squad of 19 players for Canada’s upcoming friendly against the USA on January 22 in San Diego, California.



The Canadians will hold their training camp from January 8–20 in Carson, CA before traveling to San Diego on January 20 for the first match of 2006 for both countries.



The match will be played at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego. Kickoff has been set for 5:00pm PT.



Tickets ranging in price levels from $25 to $90 are currently available at ussoccer.com, at the University of San Diego’s Jenny Craig Pavilion Box Office (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and by phone at 619-260-7550 (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Groups of 15 or more can purchase tickets through the University of San Diego by calling 619-260-7550.



Yallop has recalled eight players from the squad that beat Luxembourg 1-0 in mid-November. The youngest of those eight, Will Johnson, is presently with Dale Mitchell’s U20 team in Guadalajara, Mexico, but will join the squad following Canada’s involvement in the Chivas Cup.



Viking midfielder, Sandro Grande, has returned to the squad since recovering from the niggling calf strain that kept him out of the Luxembourg game.



Armed with a new contract and club, Goteborg striker, Ali Gerba, has also recovered from a series of knocks and strains and is fit for selection.



The Montreal Impact will be sending six players to sunny California. Adam Braz, Gabe Gervais, and Greg Sutton were regular contributors in 2005 and have been recalled to Yallop’s squad. Joining them will be defenders Nevio Pizzolitto and Andre Hainault and midfielder Patrick Leduc. The trip will be Hainault’s first with the senior squad.



Molde striker Rob Friend, who had to decline the invite to Luxembourg due to club commitments, makes a long-awaited return to the national team fold.



Toronto-native Adrian Serioux will also be back since his departure from Millwall in the fall of 2005. Serioux left the London-based club in late September for personal reasons and is presently unattached, but has been entertaining offers from several clubs interested in the midfielder’s services.



“I am looking forward to these two weeks with the squad,” said Head Coach Frank Yallop. “It’s not often you get a chance to have your players for an extended training camp prior to a friendly so from that perspective, this is a welcome opportunity.”



“It will also allow us the luxury of playing two or three scrimmages during the camp (in Carson), which is something we have been unable to do in the past.”



Yallop is also fully aware of the dangers the Americans pose, even without many of their European regulars.



“I know the US will be without many of their European-based players but they still have the ability to put together a very talented ‘domestic-based squad’, as was witnessed throughout the World Cup qualifying rounds and the last Gold Cup. A lot of guys will be keen to show Bruce (Arena) that they are capable of contributing to his World Cup squad, so they will take this game, and the games against Norway and Japan very seriously.”



“2006 will be an important year for us,” concluded Yallop. “It’s vital that we solidify our pool of regular players this year and begin to move towards establishing a ’team’ that will compete for the 2007 Gold Cup, and of course qualifying for South Africa, which will likely start in 2008.”



Following the US game…

Following the match against the USA, Canada’s Men’s National Team has agreed to an international friendly on March 1st, 2006 (the next available International Match Date on the FIFA coordinated International Calendar) against Austria. The match will be played at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, Austria. Kick-off has tentatively been scheduled for 8:30pm local time.



Roster – Canada Men’s National Team