TUCSON, ARIZONA – The ‘Caps have touched down in Tucson.
After a morning flight from Vancouver, the Blue and White arrived in Arizona on Monday afternoon, kicking off a 10-day trip as part of the MLS Preseason in Tucson.
The team had a fitness session upon arrival in Tucson and will begin on-field training on Tuesday – at which point there will be some new faces in the mix.
A few trialists have already joined the team and there could be more on the way later in the week. See below for the full rundown.
TRIALISTS IN TUCSON
Kalif Alhassan (M) – Joined WFC on Monday in Tucson
Alhassan, 24, spent the last five seasons with Portland Timbers, recording five goals and 12 assists in 93 MLS regular season appearances. The former Ghanaian U-17 and U-20 international also appeared in all four of Portland’s matches in the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs and was named the Timbers’ Young Player of the Year in 2011 after registering six assists. Alhassan, a right winger who hails from Accra, Ghana – the same hometown of Whitecaps FC midfielder Gershon Koffie – originally joined the Timbers in 2010 during their last season at the USSF Division 2 level.
Cristian Cavallini (M) – Joined WFC in Vancouver last Friday
Cavallini, 20, is a Canadian midfielder from Woodbridge, Ontario. The 5-foot-10 winger, who had trials in Uruguay and Italy, most recently played for semi-professional side Woodbridge Strikers in League 1 Ontario. Cavallini, a duel Canadian/Italian citizen, is the younger brother of Lucas Cavallini, who is currently playing with Centro Atlético Fénix in the Uruguayan first division.
Robert Earnshaw (F) – Joined WFC on Monday in Tucson
Earnshaw, 33, joined Toronto FC in 2013 after a 15-year career in the English first and second divisions. The Zambian-born striker, who made 58 appearances for Wales internationally, is the only player to have scored a hat-trick in every professional division in England, including the FA Cup and League Cup, and for his country at the international level. A product of Cardiff City’s youth program, Earnshaw made his debut with the senior side in 1998 and went on to score 83 goals in 168 appearances over all competitions. Earnshaw was most recently a member of MLS side Chicago Fire, where he scored three goals in just 174 minutes of action last season.
Dane Richards (M) – Will join WFC on Tuesday
Richards, 31, appeared in a total of 159 matches with New York Red Bulls and Vancouver Whitecaps FC from 2007 to 2012 before heading to Europe. The Jamaican international spent his first five and a half seasons in MLS with New York before getting dealt to Vancouver in 2012. Richards recorded three goals and one assist in 12 appearances with Whitecaps FC. Most recently, the 5-foot-7 winger was a member of Norwegian club FK Bodø/Glimt.
Note: Kay Banjo, Vancouver’s second-round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, didn’t make to trip to Arizona as he has decided to purse other opportunities outside of North America. Whitecaps FC will maintain his MLS rights.
If you wish to visit MLS Preseason in Tuscon, contact Uniglobe One Travel - Neal Chark at nealc@uniglobeone.com or call 604 677 1495 at any time for immediate, professional and expedited service.
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