VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed on Tuesday that players Lucas Cavallini, Maxime Crépeau, and Cristián Gutiérrez have been called up to Canada MNT for FIFA World Cup qualifying later this month.
Canada MNT open their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign on March 25 versus Bermuda at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, FL, then face Cayman Islands on March 28 at the IMG Sports Complex in Bradenton, FL.
With the upcoming tournament, the ‘Caps trio has left the preseason training camp and will rejoin the team following international duty.
“The squad selection shows the commitment of the players, how they feel about these games, representing Canada and how important the games are for the country, said Canada MNT head coach John Herdman. “Having been apart for so long, we’re focused on being able to connect and ensuring we get the tactical clarity over the short window we have leading into the start of qualifying. It’s about the off-field connection and getting the guys comfortable being together again.”
Both matches in the March FIFA window will be played in closed-door environments and will be broadcast live on OneSoccer with the Canada-Bermuda match set to kick off at 5 p.m. PT and Canada-Cayman Islands at 1 p.m. PT.
Later this year, Canada also face Aruba on June 4, and Suriname on June 7 to round out their first round schedule. The six group winners advance to a second round of head-to-head knockout matches.
The March fixtures are the first competitive matches for Canada MNT since the 2019 Concacaf Nations League, where Cavallini and Crépeau were both on the roster.
Cavallini has 11 goals in 17 appearances, Crépeau has five caps under his belt, while Gutiérrez is looking to make his debut for Canada MNT.
Visit Canada Soccer for more details, including the full Canada MNT roster.
