Canada announces roster for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Qualifiers

Canada has announced its 19-man roster for its first two CONCACAF Round 2 matches of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Qualifiers. The Canadian team will begin its qualifying campaign against St. Lucia at BMO Field in Toronto on 2 September before heading south to take on Puerto Rico in Bayamón on 6 September.

Head Coach Stephen Hart has elected to recall sixteen players involved with Canada’s 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad. He also opted to include strikers Iain Hume and Olivier Occean, as well as defender Ante Jazic in the team.

Veteran attacker Dwayne De Rosario will enter the campaign only two goals away from equaling Dale Mitchell’s record tally of 19 goals for Canada. With 59 appearances under his belt De Rosario is also the most experienced player in the squad.

Canada will need to finish in first place in Group D of this CONCACAF Round 2 to advance to the next stage of 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Qualifiers. The group also includes St. Lucia, Puerto Rico and St. Kitts and Nevis

Thirty-five nations from CONCACAF will participate in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Qualifiers. After five teams were eliminated in CONCACAF Round 1, there are 24 teams participating in CONCACAF Round 2 this fall. Six Round 2 group winners will then meet up with six more nations for CONCACAF Round 3, with the 12 teams separated into three groups. The top two teams from each Round 3 group will then advance to CONCACAF Round 4, a final group of six teams from which three teams will automatically qualify for Brazil 2014 and a fourth team will advance to an intercontinental playoff against the champion from Oceania.

CANADA

1- GK- Lars Hirschfeld | NOR / Vålerenga Fotball

2- D- Nik Ledgerwood | GER / SV Wehen Wiesbaden

3- M- Mike Klukowski | TUR / Manisaspor

4- CB- Kevin McKenna | GER / FC Köln

5- D- André Hainault | USA / Houston Dynamo

6- M- Julian de Guzman | CAN / Toronto FC

7- M- Terry Dunfield | CAN / Toronto FC

8- M- Will Johnson | USA / Real Salt Lake

9- M/F- Tosaint Ricketts | ROM / FC Politehnica Timiþoara

10- M- Simeon Jackson | ENG / Norwich City FC

11- M- Josh Simpson | TUR / Manisaspor

12- D- Ante Jazic | USA / Chivas USA

13- M- Atiba Hutchinson | NED / PSV Eindhoven

14- F- Dwayne De Rosario | USA / DC United

15- D- Dejan Jakovic | USA / DC United

16- F- Olivier Occean | GER / SpVgg Greuther Fürth

17- M/F- Iain Hume | ENG / Preston North End FC

20- D- Jaime Peters | ENG / Ipswich Town FC

22- GK- Milan Borjan | TUR / Sivasspor