Three Vancouver Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy players have been named to Canada's roster for the biennial Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship. Fullback Sahil Deo and midfielder Grady McDonnell are both on the roster, while forward Johnny Selemani is an alternate.
Canada have arrived in the Dominican Republic in preparation for the tournament that kicks off with 16 nations in League A for the 2023 edition. Canada coach Mike Vitulano has a group of 18 players that will face group opponents Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Panama with a target of advancing to the Concacaf final on Sunday, August 13 in Santo Domingo.
Canada will face hosts Dominican Republic on Sunday, August 6, Guatemala on Monday, August 7 and Panama on Tuesday, August 8 across their group phase at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo. From there, two nations from each of four groups will advance to the Thursday quarterfinals and then the top-four nations will play on both Friday, August 11 in the Concacaf semifinals and Sunday, August 13 in either the Match for third Place or the Concacaf final.
This Canada’s third participation at the Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship, having reached the Concacaf Semifinals in both 2017 and 2019 (there was no tournament in 2021 because of the global pandemic). Matches are 70 minutes long and Canada will train with a squad of 22 players including four alternates, with all players in the competition born 2008 or later.
CANADA SOCCER’S MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAM
Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Youth Teams have won two Concacaf titles: both the 1986 and 1996 Concacaf Men’s Youth Championships. Canada have qualified for 16 FIFA men’s youth tournaments: eight editions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup and eight editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Across Brazil 2019 and Peru 2023, Canada have qualified for back-to-back FIFA U-17 World Cups.
Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL Program channels our nation’s exceptional players into the best soccer environments. The Canada Soccer Pathway works in collaboration with our provincial and territory partners as well as the professional clubs and academies. For Canada’s elite players, the program emphasizes player development on the pathway to representing Canada’s Men’s National Team in international soccer.
CANADA SQUAD
1- GK- Dominic Kantorowicz | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
2- FB- Sahil Deo | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
3- FB- William Daniels | ENG / Leicester City FC Academy
4- M- Tim Fortier | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
5- CB- Daniel Panait | CAN / Académie de CF Montréal
6- CB- Sergei Kozlovskiy | CAN / Académie de CF Montréal
7- F- Shola Jimoh | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
8- M- Aghilas Abdelmalek Sadek | CAN / CS Longueuil
9- F- Kemari Record-Wright | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
10- M- Kevin Khan | NED / Feyenoord Academy
11- W- André Ali-Gayapersad | ESP / CF Damm
12- FB- Ajahni Carter | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
13- CB- Richard Chukwu | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
14- M- Dylan Judelson | USA / Orlando City SC Academy
15- CB- Spencer Sappleton | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
16- F- Grady McDonnell | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
17- M- Philip Biskupski | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
18- GK- Jean-Christophe Belzile | CAN / Académie de CF Montréal
