The Canadian Soccer Association announced on Wednesday that Vancouver Whitecaps FC Homegrown players Bryce Alderson and Caleb Clarke are among 20 players selected to an eight-day camp with Canada’s U-20 men’s national team.
The two graduates of Whitecaps FC's Residency program will train with the Canadian team in Florida from September 5 to 12. Canada will meet CONCACAF rivals Trinidad and Tobago for a pair of matches on Sunday, September 9 and Tuesday, September 11. In between matches, Canada is scheduled to have six training sessions during the course of the camp.
Alderson, 18, was last called into camp with the Canadian U-20 men’s national team in July, as the Red and White played two friendly matches against Mexico. This past March, Alderson was selected to Canada’s U-23 Olympic team where he made one appearance in a 0-0 draw against El Salvador in Group A of the 2012 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying tournament. In 2011, the Kitchener, Ontario-born midfielder served as captain for Canada’s U-17 national team that qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico.
Clarke, 19, earns his second call-up to the Canadian national team program after first being selected to the U-20 national team in December, 2011, for a 10-day training camp in Sunrise, Florida. Last month, the young striker made his MLS debut for the 'Caps as he played the final nine minutes against FC Dallas on August 15 at BC Place.
This marks former Whitecaps FC player and assistant coach and current Canadian U-20 men’s national team head coach Nick Dasovic's second project for 1993-born players, with an eye towards next year's biennial CONCACAF & FIFA competitions. Canada will compete in the 2013 CONCACAF Men's Under-20 Championship from February 18 to March 3 in Mexico. Four teams from the 12-team tournament will qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013.
CANADA
GK- Ricky Gomes | POR / Vitória FC
GK- Quillan Roberts | CAN / Toronto FC
CB- Manjrekar James | HUN / PMFC-MATIAS
CB- Kai Morton | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
CB- Nikola Paunic | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
D- Jon Dollery | ENG / Crawley Town FC
D- Kevin Luarca | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
D- Tyler Pasher | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
D- Allan Zebie | CAN / Edmonton FC Reserve
M- Bryce Alderson | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M- Sergio Camargo | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Dylan Carreiro | ENG / Queens Park Rangers
M- Oscar Cordon | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Mauro Eustáquio | POR / Uniao de Leiria
M- Jorgo Nika | GER / Eintracht Braunschweig
M- Michael Petrasso | ENG / Queens Park Rangers
M- Samuel Piette | GER / Fortuna Düsseldorf
M- Alessandro Riggi | ESP / Celta de Vigo
F- Caleb Clarke | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F- Jason Mills | CAN / ANB Futbol
