Dejan Jakovic (above) and David Ochieng will miss the Cosmos’ Saturday home game vs. Jacksonville. (Photo courtesy of the Cosmos)

Cosmos center backs Dejan Jakovic and David Ochieng have been called up to their respective national teams for upcoming international friendlies.

Jaković will feature for Canada when they play Jamaica at BMO Field in Toronto, Saturday, Sept. 2.

Ochieng will travel with Kenya’s national team in friendlies against Mauritania Aug. 31 and Mozambique Sept. 2. The games will help Kenya prepare for the African Nations Championship, which it will host in January.

They will miss the Cosmos’ home game against Jacksonville Armada FC Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

Both defenders will be back for the road games the Cosmos will play against Miami FC Sept. 6 and Puerto Rico Sept. 9.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.