Canada to use mostly European-based players in soccer friendly
Last Updated: Friday, May 22, 2009 | 4:09 PM ET
CBC Sports
Stephen Hart's Canadian squad for an international friendly against Cyrpus on May 30 will be made up mostly of players based in Europe. (Ian Barrett/Canadian Press)Players based in Europe will make up the bulk of the Canadian men's soccer team that will play an international friendly against Cyprus later this month, coach Stephen Hart said on Friday.
No players currently competing for Major League Soccer teams will play in the game.
"It's a good opportunity for me to see some players that we have not seen before in international competition and give them the opportunity to show they can fight for selection," Hart said during a conference call.
With the game in Larnaca, Cyprus, set for May 30, some players won't be available because of club commitments.
Depending on how their teams do this weekend, Marcel de Jong of Roda JC in the Netherlands and Paul Stalteri of Borussia Moenchengladbach in Germany may not be available.
If he's able to play, Stalteri would be the most experienced player on the team, having appeared in 73 international matches.
Among the 17 players named to the team are Tosaint Ricketts of Edmonton and Simeon Jackson of Mississauga, Ont. Both will have a chance to play their first game for Canada.
The team is getting ready for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup.
With files from The Canadian Press
