Just as Matt Besler and Graham Zusi return to Kansas City after a successful stint with the U.S. Men’s National Team, two other Sporting KC players will represent their respective countries on Tuesday to close out FIFA’s summer international window.
Defender Tyler Pasher, who scored in Canada’s intra-squad scrimmage on Thursday, will look to collect his first senior team cap when Curacao visits Stade Saputo for a friendly in Montreal. Halfway around the world, meanwhile, Soony Saad has linked up with Lebanon for a 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Malaysia at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Canada vs. Curacao – Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. CT
Stade Saputo, Montreal
The 23-year-old Pasher has impressed during his first week of training with Les Rouges to cement a spot on head coach Octavio Zambrano’s matchday roster. Tuesday’s friendly against the Caribbean island nation will serve as Canada’s final tune-up before the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where it will face French Guiana (July 7), Costa Rica (July 11) and Honduras (July 14) in a tricky Group A.
The Canadians have bowed from the CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage in each of the last three editions and haven’t made a semifinal appearance since 2007, when they lost to eventual champion United States.
Canada has played just two competitive matches in 2017 — a 4-2 victory over Bermuda on Jan. 22 and a 1-1 draw at Scotland on March 22. Pasher previously trained with the senior team in 2015 and now has a genuine opportunity to make his debut against a Curacao side that will compete at next month’s Gold Cup in Group C alongside Jamaica (July 9), El Salvador (July 13) and Mexico (July 16).
Malaysia vs. Lebanon – Tuesday, 8:45 a.m. CT
Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur
Saad has scored three goals in seven appearances for Lebanon since 2013 and now joins the Cedars for an important AFC Asian Cup qualifier in the Malaysian capital. Lebanon has an early lead atop Group B, although several matchdays still remain between now and March 2018 when qualifying will conclude.
2019 AFC Asian Cup Qualifying – Group B
Team |
PTS |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lebanon |
3 |
w |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
+2 |
Malaysia |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
North Korea |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Hong Kong |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
-2 |
The top two teams in the group will advance to the AFC Asian Cup, the quadrennial international soccer championship in Asia which will take place in January 2019 in the United Arab Emirates.
