Dejan Jakovic will participate in his third CONCACAF Gold Cup. (Photo courtesy of the Cosmos)
The Cosmos lost their fourth player to the CONCACAF Gold Cup Tuesday as center back Dejan Jakovic was named to Canada’s 23-man roster for next month’s competition.
Midfielders Richard Menjivar and Andres Flores and midfielder Irvin Herrera, also members of the two-time defending North American Soccer League champions, were called into the El Salvador squad last week.
Jakovic, who was selected to his third Gold Cup, and his teammates are scheduled to report to training camp in Alliston, Ontario Wednesday.
“We have a dynamic team that has speed and offensive weapons,” said Canada head coach Octavio Zambrano, former coach of the MetroStars. “We have a balance between offence and defence. We want to go forward and have a high tempo, but we also have to make sure we have the defenders that are up to the task in our end.”
The Canadians kick off the competition against French Guiana in Harrison, N.J. July 7, meet Costa Rica in Houston July 11 and face Honduras in Frisco, Texas July 14.
Canada has a mix of youth and experience as well as a mix of players attached to clubs in North America, Europe, and South America. With 10 players selected from four Canadian clubs, this year’s squad has the most domestic-based players since the inaugural edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1991.
“It is important that we put forth a good performance at the CONCACAF Gold Cup to show that we have good players and that we have a strong future ahead of the next cycle of FIFA World Cup qualifiers,” Canada midfielder Samuel Piette said.
The roster
1- GK- Maxime Crépeau | CAN / Impact Montréal FC
2- FB- Fraser Aird | / Unattached
3- CB- Manjrekar James | HUN / Vasas Budapest
4- CB- Steven Vitória | POL / Lechia Gdańsk
5- CB- Dejan Jaković | USA / New York Cosmos
6- M- Samuel Piette | ESP / CD Izarra
7- M- Russell Teibert | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
8- M- Scott Arfield | ENG / Burnley FC
9- F- Tosaint Ricketts | CAN / Toronto FC
10- M- David Junior Hoilett | WAL / Cardiff City FC
11- FB- Samuel Adekugbe | ENG / Brighton Hove & Albion
12- M- Alphonso Davies | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
13- M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
14- M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Louisville City FC
15- CB- Adam Straith | CAN / FC Edmonton
16- M- Anthony Jackson-Hamel | CAN / Impact Montréal FC
17- FB- Marcel de Jong | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
18- GK- Milan Borjan | POL / MKS Korona Kielce
19- F- Lucas Cavallini | URU / CA Peñarol
20- M- Patrice Bernier | CAN / Impact Montréal FC
21- M- Raheem Edwards | CAN / Toronto FC
22- GK- Jayson Leutwiler | ENG / Shrewsbury Town FC
23- M- Michael Petrasso | ENG / Queens Park Rangers
