August 30, 2021 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Philadelphia Union News Release
CHESTER, Pa. – Philadelphia Union today announced that seven players have received international call-ups from their respective federations ahead of the upcoming FIFA international window. Andre Blake, Cory Burke, Alvas Powell, Jamiro Monteiro, Olivier Mbaizo, Daniel Gazdag and Jose Martinez have joined their respective countries’ teams for 2022 World Cup Qualifier matches.
Blake, Burke and Powell were called up once again to the Jamaican National Team. The trio, who were all last called up in July for the Gold Cup where the Reggae Boyz made it to the quarterfinals, now prepare for the final stage of World Cup Qualifiers. Blake, who captains the squad, has 48 caps as the starting goalkeeper for the team. Burke has 22 caps for the Reggae Boyz and has scored seven goals in that time, most recently scoring in the group stage of the Gold Cup to secure a 2-1 victory vs. Guadeloupe on July 17. Powell, a stalwart on the Jamaican National Team, has 52 caps. In a 2019 Concacaf Nations League match, Powell scored a brace in a 4-0 win over Guyana for his first international goals. Jamaica will face Mexico on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 10:00 p.m., Panama on Sunday, Sept. 5 at 6:00 p.m. and Costa Rica on Sept. 8. at 9:00 p.m.
Monteiro and Mbaizo join the Cape Verde National Team and Cameroon National Team respectively for the second round of the FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers. Both players were last called up in March ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Monteiro has earned 10 caps for Cape Verde, nine in Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches and one in an International Friendly. Cape Verde will face Central African Republic on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 9:00 a.m. and Nigeria on Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 12:00 p.m.
This is Mbaizo’s fourth senior team call up for Cameroon as they also prepare for a pair of second round World Cup Qualifiers. He has earned four senior international caps for the Indomitable Lions, his first when he made his debut as a substitute in a friendly vs. Gabon on September 6, 2016. Cameroon will play against Malawi on Friday, Sept. 3 at 3:00 p.m. and Ivory Coast on Monday, Sept. 6 at 3:00 p.m.
Gazdag will join the Hungarian National Team for their four matches in the group stage of the European qualifiers. Gazdag has earned six caps and was most recently called up in June ahead of Euro 2020. In his six appearances, Gazdag has scored one goal in a World Cup qualifying match against Andorra on March 31, 2021.
Martinez returns to the Venezuelan National Team after a standout four-game run with the team in June for Copa America 2021. Martinez, who has a total of five caps for La VinoTinto, played in all four matches for Venezuela in the tournament. He also notched his first assist for the national team in a 1-1 draw against Ecuador on June 20. Martinez who made his debut for the team in a World Cup qualifier match on June 3, 2021, against Bolivia, will join them again for their matches vs. Argentina on Sept. 2 at 8:00 p.m., vs. Peru on Sept. 5 at 9:00 p.m. and vs. Paraguay on Sept. 9 and 6:30 p.m.
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