Posted on November 3, 2011 by Michael Lewis

OTTAWA, Canada – Major League Soccer Golden Boot champion and midfielder Dwayne De Rosario of D.C. United was among those players named to Canada’s 18-man roster on Thursday for its Nov. 11 and Nov. 15 World Cup qualifying matches against St. Kitts and Nevis.

Canada, coached by Stephen Hart, will play in Basseterre, St. Kitts on Nov. 11, with the return match in Toronto four days later.

The Canadians need but point from those two remaining CONCACAF Group D matches to clinch advancement to the semifinal round.

A surprise addition addition to the team was midfielder Matt Stinson, who earned his first call-up to the national team. The 19-year-old earned the call-up after several impressive outings for Toronto FC, which qualified next year’s CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.

If Stinson plays in either of the two games, he will be the first teenager represent Canada in a World Cup qualifier since Jaime Peters did in 2004.

Veteran midfielder Patrice Bernier has been recalled to the team after an extended absence due to injury. Since his return to fitness, Bernier has played regularly for Lyngby Boldklub in the Danish Superliga.

Coming off a scoreless draw vs. visiting Puerto Rico in its last game, leads the group with 10 points, four more than second-place St. Kitts.

The Canada roster:

Goalkeeper: Lars Hirschfeld (Valerenga/Norway), Kenny Stamatopoulos (AIK/Sweden)

Defenders: David Edgar (Burnley/England), Ante Jazic (Chivas USA/USA), Mike Klukowski (Manisaspor/Turkey), Nik Ledgerwood (SV Wehen Wiesbaden/Germany), Ashtone Morgan (Toronto FC), Adam Straith (Energie Cottbus/Germany)

Midfielders:Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault (SC Preußen Münster/Germany), Patrice Bernier (Lyngby Boldklub/Denamrk), Julian de Guzman (Toronto FC), Will Johnson (Real Salt Lake/USA), Josh Simpson (Manisaspor/Turkey), Matt Stinson (Toronto FC)

Forwards:Dwayne De Rosario (DC United/USA), Simeon Jackson (Norwich City/England), Olivier Occean (SpVgg Greuther Fürth/Germany), Tosaint Ricketts (Politehnica Timişoara/Romania)

Photo: Dwayne De Rosario leads Canada’s selections for its final World Cup qualifying run to next year’s CONCACAF semifinal round. Andy Mead/YCJ

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Categories: Canada, North America, World Cup Qualifying
Tags: D.C. United, Dwayne De Rosario, Julian de Guzman, Matt Stinson, Stephen Hart, World Cup qualifying

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