Canadian under-23 soccer team heads to Caribbean for camp, two friendlies

TORONTO – FC Montreal goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who won his first cap with the Canadian senior team in February, is part of an 18-man roster for a Canada under-23 camp and Caribbean tour.

The 18 players will gather in Toronto on Tuesday before heading to Guyana and Grenada for a pair of international matches.

The camp runs through May 19 with stops in Toronto, Georgetown, Guyana, and St. George’s, Grenada. The young Canadians will face the national “A” squads of Guyana (May 15) and Grenada (May 18).

“These matches will present us with another opportunity to introduce new players to the men’s national team program,” Canadian under-23 coach Michael Findlay, who is also an assistant coach to the national senior team, said in a statement.

The Canadian under-23 side failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics this summer, with Mexico and Honduras representing CONCACAF. Canada finished fourth in qualifying last October in the North and Central America and Caribbean region, losing 2-0 to the U.S. in the third-place match.

The 21-year-old Crepeau who debuted for the senior team in a 1-0 friendly loss to the U.S. in Carson, Calif., played in that game. Other starters that day back on the roster are Luca Gasparotto, Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, Skylar Thomas, Chris Mannella and Caleb Clarke.

Also on the tour roster is Richie Laryea, Orlando’s first-round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.

Guyana and Grenada are preparing for June Caribbean Cup matches, part of the qualification route for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Canada

Goalkeepers: Marco Carducci, Vancouver Whitecaps; Maxime Crepeau, FC Montreal.

Defenders: Chris Serban, Vancouver Whitecaps II; Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, FC Montreal; Jordan Murrell, Pittsburgh Riverhounds; Luca Gasparotto, Glasgow Rangers (Scotland); Louis Beland-Goyette, FC Montreal; Skylar Thomas, Toronto FC II; Brandon John, Seattle Sounders II.

Midfielders: Manuel Aparicio, unattached; Chris Mannella, Toronto FC II; Ben McKendry, Vancouver Whitecaps; Ben Fisk, Deportivo La Coruna B (Spain); Richie Laryea, Orlando City B; Mark-Anthony Kaye, Louisville City FC.

Forwards: Jordan Hamilton, Toronto FC II; Caleb Clarke, SpVgg Unterhaching (Germany); Raheem Edwards, Toronto FC II.