MONTREAL — Canada soccer coach Octavio Zambrano has trimmed his roster to 23 for next Tuesday's friendly with Curacao in Montreal.
Zambrano had brought 28 to camp, reducing the numbers after a trials match.
The White team beat the Red team 4-1 in the 80-minute game Thursday at the Montreal Impact training centre. Anthony Jackson-Hamel opened the scoring for the Red team with the White squad pulling ahead on an own goal and strikes from Kianz Froese, Tyler Pasher and Russell Teibert.
After the match, Zambrano released goalkeeper James Pantemis, defenders Kwame Awuah and Wandrille Lefevre and midfielders Tesho Akindele and Nicolas Galvis.
Pantemis, who is part of the Impact system, will remain on call if case of goalkeeper injury.
"The new guys have adapted well while the veterans can see a path that, if we stay on it, we can get some results," Zambrano said in a release. "You can start to see what the young guys can bring to the national team, but you can also see why the experienced players are still part of the team. It is a good combination and a well-balanced team."
The game against No. 70 Curacao is a warmup for the Gold Cup for Zambrano's team. Canada, ranked 109th, is in a group with No. 19 Costa Rica, No. 69 Honduras and French Guiana, which is not part of FIFA and as such is not ranked.
Patrice Bernier, a 37-year-old midfielder with the Impact, is the most experienced player in the squad with 53 international appearances.
The youngest player is 16-year-old Vancouver Whitecap Alphonso Davies, a Liberian-born midfielder who became a Canadian citizen earlier this week.
Davies is one of 12 players aged 23 or younger in the squad. He is also one of six uncapped players, along with Juan Cordova, Raheem Edwards, Andres Fresenga, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Tyler Pasher.
Canada
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Montreal Impact; Milan Borjan, MKS Korona Kielce (Poland).
Defenders: Fraser Aird, unattached; Manjrekar James, Vasas Budapest (Hungary); Dejan Jakovic, New York Cosmos (NASL); Marcel de Jong, Vancouver Whitecaps; Juan Cordova, CD Huachipato (Chile); Andres Fresenga, Cerro Largo FC (Uuruguay); Tyler Pasher, Sporting Kansas City.
Midfielders: Kianz Froese, Fortuna Duesseldorf (Germany); Samuel Piette, CD Izarra (Spain); Russell Teibert, Vancouver Whitecaps; Will Johnson, Orlando City; David (Junior) Hoilett, Cardiff City; Alphonso Davies, Vancouver Whitecaps; Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC; Mark-Anthony Kaye, Louisville City FC; Adam Straith, FC Edmonton; Raheem Edwards, Toronto FC; Patrice Bernier, Montreal Impact.
Midfielder-Forward: Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Montreal Impact.
Forwards: Cyle Larin, Orlando City; Marcus Haber, Dundee FC (Scotland).
The Canadian Press
