VANCOUVER, BC ā Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed today that centre back Kendall Waston and midfielder Christian BolaƱos have been called up to the Costa Rican national team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers versus the United States and Mexico.
Waston and BolaƱos will not be missing any Whitecaps FC matches while away on international duty. The pair departs after Saturday's match at Orlando City SC, and returns prior to their next fixture against Real Salt Lake on September 9.
Costa Rica currently sit at second place in the fifth and final round of World Cup qualifying with a 3W-1L-2D record. They visit third-place US at Red Bull Arena on Friday, September 1, then host first-place Mexico at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica on the following Tuesday, September 5.
Waston and BolaƱos have each played in five of their first six matches in The Hex. Costa Rica defeated the United States 4-0 at home, and lost 2-0 to Mexico on the road earlier in the round. BolaƱos tallied a goal and an assist while Waston played all 90 minutes in the Tico backline in their shutout win over the United States last December.
The six teams in The Hex play home-and-away round-robin matches in one single group. The top three teams will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the fourth-placed team will advance to the inter-confederation playoffs.
