By Canadian Press

Davies, David among big names missing from Canada’s Gold Cup roster

Jun 19, 2023 | 8:20 AM

Canada will be without some big names for its Gold Cup campaign.

Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan, Alistair Johnston, Atiba Hutchinson and Ismael Kone will not make the transition from the CONCACAF Nations League squad to the Gold Cup.

The 47th-ranked Canadians who lost the Nations League final to the 13th-ranked U.S. on Sunday night in Las Vegas, open Gold Cup play June 27th against either No. 170 Guyana or unranked Guadeloupe at Toronto’s BMO Field. Canada will then head to Houston to finish Group D play against No. 116 Guatemala and No. 165 Cuba.

Guadeloupe and Guyana meet Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to decide who advances to the main tournament field. 

Guadeloupe blanked No. 133 Antigua and Barbuda 5-0 in its opening qualifying match while Guyana got past No. 175 Grenada in a penalty shootout.

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Coach John Herdman had warned there would be changes in the roster, with some players needing a break or time to recover from injuries.

“We’ve got some young lads that we’ll start looking at for this Gold Cup,” he said after Sunday’s loss.

“I’d love to have the same squad filtering over but it won’t happen,” he added.

The 40-year-old Hutchinson had said the Nations League would serve as his farewell after 104 international appearances. And Herdman said defender Johnston was carrying an injury from club duty with Glasgow Celtic.

Davies had been sidelined for almost two months with a leg injury before the Nations League. David, meanwhile, is the subject of intense transfer speculation surrounding a move to a bigger club from France’s Lille.

“It is a tough time,” Herdman said. “For us, we’ve got guys that are right on the cusp of making, fingers crossed, some big transfers.”

Others need the time off to recover, he added.

There are 16 holdovers from the Nations League roster.

Uncapped newcomers include 20-year-old Columbus forward Jacen Russell-Rowe, 22-year-old Vancouver Whitecaps defender/midfielder Ali Ahmed and Portland Timbers defender Zac McGraw.

FC Basel forward Liam Millar (17 caps), FC Eindhoven midfielder Charles-Andreas Brym (eight caps), CF Montreal defender Zachary Brault-Guillard (seven caps) and Nashville SC forward Jacob Shaffelburg (four caps) return to the squad. 

Canada Gold Cup Roster

Goalkeepers: Milan Borjan, Red Star Belgrade (Serbia); Tom McGill, Brighton & Hove Albion (England); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United (MLS).

Defenders: Samuel Adekugbe, Hatayspor (Turkey); Moise Bombito, Colorado Rapids (MLS); Zachary Brault-Guillard, CF Montreal (MLS); Scott Kennedy, Jahn Regensburg (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Zac McGraw, Portland Timbers (MLS); Kamal Miller, Inter Miami (MLS); Steven Vitoria, GD Chaves (Portugal); Dominick Zator, Korona Kielce (Poland).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Reading (England); Victor Loturi, Ross County (Scotland); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); David Wotherspoon, St. Johnstone (Scotland); Charles-Andreas Brym, FC Eindhoven (the Netherlands).

Forwards: Lucas Cavallini, Club Tijuana (Mexico); Liam Millar, FC Basel (Switzerland); Jacen Russell-Rowe, Columbus Crew (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2023.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press