VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed today that Residency graduates Sam Adekugbe, Russell Teibert and Kianz Froese have been called up to the Canadian men's national team for the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Honduras and El Salvador.
The roster also includes Whitecaps FC Residency graduates Simon Thomas and Adam Straith.
Canada opens the fourth round of qualifying in Vancouver next Friday, November 13 against Honduras at BC Place. Tickets are now on sale at ticketmaster.ca. Head coach Benito Floro's side then will then go on the road to face El Salvador at Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador on Tuesday, November 17.
Adekugbe and Teibert will rejoin the team after suiting up in the third round of the tournament last September, while Froese will be looking for his first World Cup Qualifying appearance.
Adekugbe, 20, has made two senior international appearances, making his first cap in Canada's 1-1 draw in the second leg of the third round of FIFA World Cup qualifying versus Belize on September 8. He most recently donned the Red and White in the 1-1 friendly draw versus Ghana last October 13. The Calgary-raised defender, who earned an MLS Team of the Week selection last March, started seven of his nine regular season appearances this season, and appeared in all four CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) matches.
Froese, 19, is looking for his second cap after recently making his senior international debut when he played the full 90 minutes in the October 13 friendly against Ghana. The midfielder has had a productive year with Whitecaps FC, scoring match-winning goals at New York Red Bulls in MLS play on June 20, and versus C.D. Olimpia in CCL competition on September 16. In addition, Froese also recorded an assist in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship final at Montreal Impact on August 12. Froese, who was named the WFC Most Promising Player for 2015, also appeared in all four CCL matches, in addition to his nine MLS appearances.
Teibert, 22, looks to continue his productive play in World Cup Qualifying competition after recording an assist in his last appearance, a 3-0 win against Belize at BMO Field on September 4, and scoring his first international goal in the 2-0 win over Dominica on June 11. The Niagara Falls, Ontario-born midfielder has earned 18 caps with the Canadian senior men’s national team after making his debut in August 2012 at the age of 19 years old. Teibert made 15 starts in 23 MLS regular season appearances for Whitecaps FC this season, highlighted by two MLS Team of the Week selections in April. Last August, Teibert was presented the George Gross Memorial Trophy as the tournament MVP after Whitecaps FC won their first-ever Voyageurs Cup in the Amway Canadian Championship.
Adekugbe, Froese, and Teibert will be away on international duty during the FIFA international break and will not miss any action with Whitecaps FC.
FULL ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Simon (Thomas Strømmen IF/Norway), Milan Borjan (PFK Ludogorets Razgrad/Bulgaria) and Kenny Stamatopoulos (AIK Fotbol/Sweden).
Defenders: Fraser Aird (Glasgow Rangers/Scotland), Samuel Adekugbe (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), André Hainault (1. FC Magdeburg/Germany), David Edgar (Sheffield United/England), Dejan Jaković (Shimizu S-Pulse/Japan), Adam Straith (Fredrikstad FK/Norway), Marcel De Jong (Sporting Kansas City), Wandrille Lefèvre (Montreal Impact) and Karl W. Ouimette (New York Red Bulls).
Midfielders: Julian de Guzman (Ottawa Fury FC), Russell Teibert (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Will Johnson (Portland Timbers), David Hoilett (Queens Park Rangers/England), Atiba Hutchinson (Beşiktaş JK/Turkey), Samuel Piette (Deportivo La Coruña/Spain), Kianz Froese (Vancouver Whitecaps FC) and Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas)
Forwards: Lucas Cavallini (CA Fénix/Uruguay), Cyle Larin (Orlando City), Tosaint Ricketts (Boluspor FC/Turkey)
Be a part of the best sporting atmosphere in Vancouver! 2016 Whitecaps FC Season Tickets are now on sale. In addition to Season Tickets, Whitecaps FC offer a flexible range of ticket products, including Half-Season Packs, 5-Packs, a Youth Soccer Half-Season Ticket, and single match tickets. For more information, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
