Posted on February 24, 2012

Canada coach Stephen Hart selected 17 players for the National Team’s international friendly match against Armenia in Limassol, Cyprus on Feb. 29.

With a short training window before the game, Hart has selected 15 players who are with professional clubs in Europe. Kevin McKenna and Atiba Hutchinson are the two most experienced players in the group, with the latter having only recently made his return to the first team following recovery from an injury. The third most experienced player on the team is Julian de Guzman from Toronto FC.

The one newcomer to the club is 17-year-old midfielder Samuel Piette, who plays professionally with FC Metz in France. Piette has more than 100 days in Canadian national youth camps over the last two seasons, but this is his first call up to a national “A” camp with Hart. Last year, Piette represented Canada at the Under-17 World Cup.

The game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet. While the match kicks off at 7 p.m. local and noon ET. The Sportsnet broadcast will start 30 minutes earlier with a pre-match show commencing at 11L30 a.m. ET.

Fans can track the progress of the Canadian team in Cyprus via CanadaSoccer.com, as well as social media platforms on Twitter @CanadaSoccerEN, Facebook, Flickr and CanadaSoccerTV.

The roster:

1- GK- Milan Borjan | TUR / Sivasspor

2- FB- Nik Ledgerwood | GER / SV Wehen Wiesbaden

3- FB- Mike Klukowski | TUR / Manisaspor

4- CB- Kevin McKenna | GER / FC Köln

5- CB- Adam Straith | GER / FC Energie Cottbus

6- M- Julian de Guzman | CAN / Toronto FC

7- F- Iain Hume | ENG / Preston North End FC

8- M- Pedro Pacheco | POR / CD Santa Clara

9- F- Tosaint Ricketts | ROM / FC Politehnica Timişoara

10- F- Simeon Jackson | ENG / Norwich City FC

11- M- Josh Simpson | SUI / Berner Sport Club Young Boys

12- CB- Nana Attakora | USA / San Jose Earthquakes

13- M- Atiba Hutchinson | NED / PSV Eindhoven

14- M/RB- Samuel Piette | FRA / FC Metz

15- CB- David Edgar | ENG / Burnley FC

17- F- Marcus Haber | SCO / St. Johnstone FC

22- GK- Kenny Stamatopoulos | SWE / AIK Fotbol

Stephen Hart selected mostly European-based players for his team’s Feb. 29 game against Aremenia. Scott Bales/YCJ

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Categories: Canada, North America
Tags: Atiba Hutchinson, Julian de Guzman, Kevin McKenna, Simeon Jackson, Stephen Hart

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