Sporting KC defender Marcel de Jong earned his 39th cap for the Canada Men’s National Team on Tuesday in a 1-1 friendly draw against Ghana at RFK Stadium. The 28 year-old-defender scored his country's lone goal with a left-footed strike in the 29th minute.
Tuesday was Canada’s last friendly before the fourth round of 2018 World Cup qualifying begins in November. The Reds are paired in Group A along with Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador and will open the fourth round against Honduras at BC Place in Vancouver on November 13.
De Jong started at left back for Canada in his eighth international appearance of the year. The Sporting KC defender made his presence felt with the game’s opening goal in the 29th minute. De Jong lined up a shot from 35 yards and laced it into the upper corner of the net for his third international goal.
The lead was short-lived for Canada, however, as Ghana leveled the match seconds before halftime. The No. 25 ranked Black Stars worked the ball through the Canada defense and found Albert Adomah in the box for an easy finish past goalkeeper Kyriakos Stamatopoulos.
De Jong exited the match in the 53rd minute for Vancouver Whitecaps defender Sam Adekugbe. In total, six MLS players featured for Canada while four featured for Ghana. New York Red Bulls midfielder Lloyd Sam and New York City FC midfielder Kwadwo Poku each made their debut for the Black Stars on Tuesday.
De Jong will now return to Kansas City ahead of Sporting KC’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes (Friday; 10pm CT, 38 the Spot / UniMas). The Canadian defender has appeared in 13 matches for Sporting KC in his first season in MLS with one goal and one assist.
