VANCOUVER, BC – Canada Soccer announced today that Vancouver Whitecaps FC Homegrown players Sam Adekugbe and Russell Teibert have been called up to the Canadian men’s national team for an upcoming camp and matches.
--- UPDATE: Adekugbe suffered severely bruised ribs in Vancouver's 1-0 away win at Orlando City SC on March 21 and will no longer be attending Canada's camp
The March camp will be the last chance to impress Benito Floro, head coach of Canada’s men’s national team, before FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Dominica and the British Virgin Islands in June and a CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign in July. The camp will include an international friendly against Guatemala on March 27 (1:30 p.m. PT) in Ft. Lauderdale, USA and against Puerto Rico in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on March 30 (3:30 p.m. PT).
Adekugbe, 20, will be making his third appearance at a Canadian men’s national team camp, and first since January 2014. The Calgary resident recently played the full 90 minutes in four of Canada’s five matches during the 2015 U-20 CONCACAF Championships, picking up an assist in Canada’s 3-1 win against Haiti on January 10.
Adekugbe was named to the MLS Team of the Week earlier this week after making his first start of the season against Chicago Fire. In three MLS seasons, the young defender has started three of six MLS appearances.
Teibert, 22, was last included in Floro’s side that played two friendly matches against Iceland. The midfielder played 56 minutes in a 2-1 loss on January 16 and entered as a substitute in the 1-1 draw on January 19. The Niagara Falls, Ontario native has earned 10 caps with the Canadian senior men’s national team after making his debut in August 2012 at the age of 19 years old.
This MLS season, Teibert has started both appearances for Whitecaps FC, playing 154 minutes. Over his five seasons with the Blue and White, the midfielder has scored two goals and added 11 assists in 70 regular season appearances.
Adekugbe and Teibert will miss Whitecaps FC home match against the Timbers on March 28.
Canada national team camp important dates:
• March 22: Player arrivals into Orlando, Florida
• March 23 to 25: Training in Orlando, Florida
• March 26: Travel from Orlando, Florida to Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• March 27: Match vs. Guatemala
• March 29: Travel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico
• March 30: March vs. Puerto Rico
The last time Canada played in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was in 2011 when Canada were 3-0 winners in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match. Canada has won the last three meetings with Guatemala.
Fans will be able to follow the matches live on Twitter @CanadaSoccerEN and review match reports on whitecapsfc.com.
