From www.canadasoccer.com

Canada's men's national team has announced its rosters for the upcoming camp and matches in South America this 17-29 May. Coach Stephen Hart has selected 24 players, 19 of whom will take part in the 24 May match against Argentina and 16 of whom will take part in the 29 May match against Venezuela.

'Putting together the roster for these two matches was a challenge because of injuries and unforeseen player commitments,' said Hart. 'Most of the clubs, however, have been cooperative and I thank them for their understanding and support.'

The 24 May match will be the first meeting between the two national sides of Canada and Argentina. ‪‪The host, a two-time FIFA World Cup champion, has selected Canada as one of its last opponents in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, which runs this 11 June to 11 July.

The 29 May match provides Canada with a second international test against a South American opponent. Additional players will be added to the Canadian lineup for the Venezuela match.

There are eleven players travelling to both venues on the South American tour. In that group, goalkeeper Haidar Al-Shaïbani, centre back Adam Straith and midfielder Pedro Pacheco all received their first call-up to the national team. Al-Shaïbani, who last year represented Canadian Interuniversity Sport at the Summer Universiade in Belgrade, is currently playing club football with Nîmes Olympique in France. Al-Shaïbani is 26 years old. Straith, 19, plays club football for Energie Cottbus in Germany while Pacheco, 25, plays club football for CD Nacional in Madeira, Portugal.

In the group of players joining the Canadian team before the Venezuela match, midfielders Terry Dunfield, Gavin McCallum and Gianluca Zavarise have all received their first call up to the national team. Dunfield, 28, and McCallum, 22, both play in England: Dunfield with Shrewsbury Town FC and McCallum with Hereford United. Zavarise, 23, plays in Germany for VfL Bochum.

As both of these matches fall outside the FIFA calendar date, some players were unavailable because of club commitments. Also of note, Patrice Bernier, Marcel de Jong, Atiba Hutchinson and Dejan Jakovic were all unavailable because of injuries.

As for those veterans making the South American trip, Paul Stalteri will be doing his best to impress coach Hart in hopes of making another one or two appearances. Stalteri has 79 career appearances with the national team, just three back of Canada's all-time leader Randy Samuel who retired after 1997 with 82 appearances. Also on the trip is Pat Onstad, who is tied with the retired Craig Forrest for most career appearances by a goalkeeper (56).


CANADA (v. Argentina)
1- G- Wagenaar, Josh | SCO / Falkirk
2- D- Straith, Adam | GER / Energie Cottbus
3- D- Klukowski, Mike | BEL / Club Brugge
4- D- Hainault, André | USA / Houston Dynamo
6- M- de Guzman, Julian | CAN / Toronto FC
7- D- Stalteri, Paul | GER / Borussia Monchengladbach
8- M- Johnson, Will | USA / Real Salt Lake
9- F- Friend, Rob | GER / Borussia Monchengladbach
10- M- Imhof, Daniel | SUI / St. Gallen
11- D- Hastings, Richard | SCO / Hamilton
12- D- Ledgerwood, Nik | GER / Frankfurt
13- M- Peters, Jaime | ENG / Ipswich Town
14- M- De Rosario, Dwayne | CAN / Toronto FC
15- M- Simpson, Josh | TUR / Manisaspor
16- F- Jackson, Simeon | ENG / Gillingham FC
17- F- Ademolu, Stephen | LIT / FK Ekranas
18- G- Onstad, Pat | USA / Houston Dynamo
19- D- Pacheco, Pedro | POR / Nacional
22- G- Al-Shaïbani, Haidar | FRA / Nîmes Olympique

CANADA (v. Venezuela)
1- G- Wagenaar, Josh | SCO / Falkirk
2- D- Sidra, Eddy | GER / Energie Cottbus
3- D- Klukowski, Mike | BEL / Club Brugge
4- D- Straith, Adam | GER / Energie Cottbus
6- M- Zavarise, Gianluca | GER / VfL Bochum
7- D- Stalteri, Paul | GER / Borussia Monchengladbach
8- M- Dunfield, Terry | ENG / Shrewsbury Town FC
9- F- Friend, Rob | GER / Borussia Monchengladbach
11- D- Hastings, Richard | SCO / Hamilton
12- M- Ledgerwood, Nik | GER / Frankfurt
14- M- McCallum, Gavin | ENG / Hereford United
15- M- Nakajima-Farran, Issey | DEN / AC Horsens
16- F- Jackson, Simeon | ENG / Gillingham FC
17- F- Ademolu, Stephen | LIT / FK Ekranas
19- M- Pacheco, Pedro | POR / Nacional
22- G- Al-Shaïbani, Haidar | FRA / Nîmes Olympique