MONTREAL – Goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau and midfielder Kyle Bekker have been selected by the Canadian national team for the home and away series versus Belize on September 4 in Toronto and September 8 in Belmopan, for the third round of qualification games for the 2018 World Cup. The team will begin training on Monday, in Toronto.
Crépeau returns with the senior team after taking part in the 2015 Pan-American Games with the Canadian U23 team, last July in Toronto and has already been called by Benito Floro to a senior training camp earlier this year.
Bekker has played 16 games with the Canadian national team, including 10 starts, participating in the 2013 and 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He recorded his first career assist last March 27 in a 1-0 win against Guatemala. He made his debut with the Reds on January 26, 2013, against Denmark.
The winner of the series moves into the fourth round that gets underway in November in a four-team group that includes Mexico, Honduras, and the winner of another third round tie between El Salvador and Curacao.
CANADA ROSTER
GK- Milan Borjan | BUL / Ludogorets Razgrad
GK- Maxime Crépeau | CAN / Montreal Impact
GK- Kenny Stamatopoulos | SWE / AIK
D- Samuel Adekugbe | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
D- Luca Gasparotto | SCO / Glasgow Rangers (on loan at Greenock Morton)
D- Manjrekar James | HUN / Diosgyori VTK
D- Karl W. Ouimette | USA / New York Red Bulls
D/M- Marcel de Jong | USA / Sporting KC
D/M- David Edgar | ENG / Birmingham City FC (on loan at Sheffield United)
D/M- Nik Ledgerwood | GER / Energie Cottbus
D/M- Adam Straith | NOR / Fredrikstad
M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas
M- Kyle Bekker | CAN / Montreal Impact
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Besiktas
M- Will Johnson | USA / Portland Timbers
M- Issey Nakajima-Farran | MAS / Terengganu
M- Michael Petrasso | ENG / Queens Park Rangers
M- Samuel Piette | ESP / Deportivo la Coruna (on loan at Racing de Ferrol)
M- Russell Teibert | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M/F- Tosaint Ricketts | TUR / Boluspor
F- Marcus Haber | ENG / Crewe Alexandra FC
F- Cyle Larin | USA / Orlando City SC
